THE  UNIVERSITY  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINA 

LIBRARY 


THE  WILMER  COLLECTION 
OF  CIVIL  WAR  NOVELS 
PRESENTED  BY 

RICHARD  H.  WILMER,  JR. 


j^iLMER  CCXXiCTlON 


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SHENANDOAH; 


OR, 


The   Horizon's    Bar. 


%  Storg  of  i^i  Mm 


BY 

Hon.  FREDERICK  G.  GEDNEY. 


Copyright^  1890,  by  J.  S.  Ogilvu. 


NEW  YORK: 
X  S.  OGILVIE,  PUBLISHER, 

57   ROSE   STREET. 


SHENANDOAH;  OR,  THE  HORIZON'S  BAR. 


CHAPTER   1. 

the  compact  on  the  blue  ridge. 

July,  1865. 

A  sultry  afternoon. 

Under  the  spreading  boughs  of  a  great  oak  re- 
cline two  young  men,  officers  in  the  cavalry  branch 
of  the  United  States  Army.  ■» 

Below  them  the  lovely  and  historic  valley  of  the 
Shenandoah.  Snowy  camps  dot  it  here  and  there, 
and  in  the  distance  a  river,  like  a  silver  thread,  fringes 
the  border  of  the  mountain. 

A  supply  train  winds  slowl)^  along  the  dusty  road 
at  its  base,  and  then,  one  by  one,  the  wagons  are  lost 
to  view  in  the  depths  of  the  summer  haze. 

The  young  men  are  silent  and  thoughtful. 

A  few  months  since,  Lee's  brave  but  broken  le- 
gions had  folded  in  final  defeat  the  standards  of  the 
lost  cause. 

The  war  of  the  Union  was  over. 

Regiments  were  being  mustered  out  of  service, 
and  thoughts  of  home  and  peaceful  ways  filled  the 
heart  of  the  young  soldier. 

7 

537710 


8  SHENANDOAH  ;    OR,   THE   HORIZON'S   BAR. 

No  more  ''  Boot  and  Saddle,"  said  Lieutenant 
Fairleigh,  snapping  the  ashes  from  his  cigar, "  no 
reveille  to  dash  the  morning's  dream  of  home  and 
children.  Home  itself  awaits  us,  and  with  it, '  Fare- 
well the  neighing  steed,  the  plumed  troop,  and  the 


big  war. 


>  >> 


''  Our  occupation's  gone,"  interrupted  his  friend 
with  a  smile,  turning  in  his  grassy  bed,  and  throw- 
ing his  cigar  down  the  hillside,  as  if  in  pursuit  of 
his  lost  position. 

"  And  to  what  base  use  may  we  return  Horatio  ? 
Think  of  the  festive  lieutenant  in  his  father's  count- 
ing-room book-keeping !  Is  it  not  horrible  ?  Dr.  on 
one  side,  and  Cr.  on  the  other."  The  speaker,  Henry 
Fairleigh,  was  an  only  son,  and  had  known  nothing 
of  responsibility,  toil,  or  care. 

Early  in  the  war  he  volunteered  and  then 
"■  roughed  "  it  in  the  camp  and  field. 

To  his  delicacy  of  feeling  was  added  a  muscular 
and  vigorous  frame. 

He  was  tall,  well  formed,  and  a  splendid  horse- 
man. A  face  bronzed  by  daily  exposure,  with  a 
long,  drooping  mustache,  known  as  the  "  cavalry 
cut"  and  lighted  by  gray  eyes  that  warranted  good 
fellowship. 

"A  man's  a  man  for  a'  that,"  Lieutenant,  whether 
he  is  the  recorder  of  mugs  and  jugs,  or  the  soldier 
in  his  country's  cause ;  this  army  life  has  its  wild  ^  ^ 
excitements  and  its  terrible  monotonies  as  well.  Itq^  J 
is  an  experience,  however,  which  for  its  memories 
alone  I  would  not  have  missed.  The  sooner  we 
are  measuring  tape  or  hoeing  corn,  the  better  for 
our  country  and  ourselves.     I  fear  a  soldier's  life 


SHENAIS^DOAH ;    OR,    THE   HORIZON'S   BAR.  9 

has  unfitted  me  for  a  law  office,  with  its  dull  routine 
work  that  is  never  done,  books  that  are  never  read, 
and  clients  never  satisfied,"  replied  Captain  Vincent, 
resting  his  head  upon  his  elbow  and  looking  down 
the  valley. 

"  It  may  be  treason — let  Gotham  make  the  most 
of  it.  I  dread  to  return  there."  Captain  Vincent 
arose  and  surveyed  the  broad  prospect.  He  ap- 
peared in  form  and  feature  hardly  twenty  years  of 
age,  but  in  expression,  action,  and  command  he  was 
fort}'.  He  was  good-looking,  with  a  sympathetic 
voice  and  easy  manner.  If  he  was  silent,  his  men 
treated  this  reserve  with  respect. 

An  earnest  soul  spoke  in  quiet  tones  even  in  his 
orders. 

The  campaign  in  the  valley  had  fearfully  reduced 
the  ranks  of  the  regiment. 

Many  officers  had  resigned,  fallen  in  battle,  or 
died  of  disease  and  in  prison. 

A  couple  of  squadrons — not  two  hundred  men, 
were  now  all  that  remained  of  the  gallant  New 
York  Cavalry  of  the  Shenandoah.  This  handful 
Vincent  had  commanded  for  over  a  year. 

"  It  is  singular  "  said  General  Custer,  turning  to 
one  of  his  staff  during  an  encounter, ''  how  Vincent 
holds  his  men.  I  never  hear  his  voice ;  they  seem 
to  anticipate  his  orders  and  execute  them." 

In  the  captain's  command  were  as  wild  and  reck- 
less spirits  as  could  be  found  in  the  Cavalry 
Division. 

During  the  company's  first  week  "at  the  front" 
they  tried  their  young  captain's  mettle. 

His  orders  were  tardily  obeyed.    The  "  high  pri- 


10  SHENAi^DOAH;    OE,   THE   HORIZON'S  BAR. 

vates  "  had  arrived  at  a  conclusion  around  the  camp- 
fire  that  their  commander  was  a  poet,  a ''  star  gazer," 
as  they  termed  it. 

In  any  event  he  would  not  set  fire  to  the  Potomac, 
or  teach  discipline  to  Stonewall  Jackson,  they  said. 

Something  was  wrong  with  Vincent. 

The  wind  was  east  frequently. 

The  first  occasion,  however,  on  which  he  was  or- 
dered to  lead  a  reconnoissance  dispelled  all  doubts 
as  to  his  power  as  a  leader. 

A  mutinous  corporal,  brave  enough,  but  too  loud 
at  the  camp-fire,  relying  unluckily  upon  his  supe- 
rior's supposed  effeminacy,  attempted  to  lead  a 
dozen  troopers  to  the  rear,  muttering,  as  his  horse 
turned  out  of  line,  that  "  he'd  be  damned  if  any  boy 
took  him  into  fire." 

"  Halt !"  said  a  calm,  clear  voice. 

The  column  stood  fast. 

All  save  the  corporal,  whose  horse  faced  the  rear, 
and  who,  turning  to  his  immediate  CQmrades,  said, 
"  Come  on." 

Crack!  the  sharp  report  of  a  pistol. 

A  riderless  horse  with  flying  stirups  galloped 
back  to  camp  as  the  mutineer  was  borne  to  the  rear 
to  nurse  his  wound.  ''  Trot !"  came  the  same  clear 
voice  of  the  captain,  as  he  replaced  the  smoking 
pistol  in  his  holsters. 

The  whole  command  moved  as  one  man. 

No  sound  save  the  clatter  of  the  hoofs  and  the 

jingle  of  spur  and  sabre  scabbard.     The  men  were 

thinking. 

****** 

To-day  he  leaned  against  the  tree  and  looked  at 


SHEI^ANDOAH  ;    ^R,    THE   HORIZON'S   BAR.  11 

^he  camp  below,  but  his  thoughts  were  out  beyond 
it.     "  I  suppose  we  part  here  in  a  day  or  two." 

Fairleigh  read  in  the  tired  look  of  his  friend  that 
fiense  of  loneliness  which  so  often  haunts  proud 
natures ;  discouraging  syjnpathy,  yet  repining  at 
the  want  of^it,  (Teservlng  more  of  friendship  than 
the  outward  air  invites.^. 

"This  is  the  time,"  said  Fairleigh,  rising  and 
placing  both  hands  on  his  friend's  shoulders, "  to 
decide  whether  our  regard  shall  merely  be  an  inci- 
dent of  the  war,  a  record  written  in  the  sand,  or 
whether  it  shall  be  for  life." 

Vincent  returned  the  earnest  gaze  of  his  comrade, 
was  silent  for  a  time,  and  then  answered  slowly : 

"  Few  friendships  are  more  than  the  result  of  an 
accident.  How  shall  we  expect  friendship  to  long 
outlive  the  time  which  gave  it  birth?" 

Fairleigh  smiled. 

"  Nevertheless,"  continued  the  captain,  also  smil- 
ing, "  the  colder  teachings  of  philosophy  must  al- 
ways yield  to  the  dictates  oi  a  warm  heart.  If  you 
are  willing  to  say  that  no  barrier  of  distance,  time, 
or  changing  taste  shall  enstrange  us  from  each 
other,  but  that  we  shall  be  friends  forever — 

''  Friends  forever,"  interruped  Fairleigh,  his  face 
beaming  as  if  his  first  declaration  of  love  had  been 
accepted.     "  Your  hand." 

"■  In  yours." 

''  It  is  a  vow,"  said  the  captain, "  and  not  a  mo- 
ment too  soon  ;  for  lo  !  the  charm  is  wound  up." 

The  notes  of  a  bugle  rang  out  merrily  on  the  still 
air. 


12  SHEKANDOAH  ;    OR,    THE   HORIZOK'S   BAR. 

"The   adjutant's  call;  we  must  hasten  back  to 

camp." 

The  scene  in  the  valley  below  them  was  now 
animated  in  the  extreme. 

The  bugle  blast  awakened  the  idlers  in  their 
tents,  and  servants  were  busy  with  their  masters' 
equipments.  Horses  neighing,  trotted  with  arched 
necks  into  line. 

The  first  sergeants  were  reporting  the  number  of 
men  in  the  various  companies  as  the  friends  in  bat- 
tle tried  reached  their  quarters. 

A  week  later  and  the  gallant  — th  was  mustered 
out  of  service  of  the  United  States. 

The  brigade  band  at  headquarters  played  "  Should 
auld  acquaintance  be  forgot"  as  the  veterans  with 
faces  expressive  of  deep  feeling  moved  away  to  the 
depot. 

Fairleigh  reported  to  his  father. 

Vincent  "  took  up  the  burden  of  life  again,"  and 
with  heavy  heart  turned  his  steps  to  the  law  office 
in  which  prior  to  his  enlistment  he  had  been  both 
student  and  clerk. 

It  required  all  his  philosophy  and  strength  of 
character  to  curb  his  proud  spirit  and  to  meet  the 
drudgery  of  a  settled  business  or  profession. 

One  day  deliverance  came. 

It  came  in  the  shape  of  a  telegram. 

"Leavenworth  House,  Kansas. 

"  September  ist,  1865. 

"  Rollm  Vince7it,  29  Wall  Street,  New  York,  N.  Y. 

"■  Remember  your  promise.  Join  me  here  by  the 
twentieth.     Answer.     Mansion  House. 

"  Harry  Fairleigh.'* 


SHENANDOAH;    OR,   THE  HORIZON'S  BAR.  13 


CHAPTER   II. 

LEAVENWORTH. 

The  boat  that  Rollin  Vincent  took  passage  in  at 
St.  Louis  reached  Leavenworth,  and  hardly  had 
she  made  fast,  before  a  tall  figure  pressed  through 
the  crowd  assembled  on  the  levee,  crossed  the 
gang-plank,  bounded  up  the  stairway,  and  seizing 
Vincent  around  the  neck,  gave  him  several  frantic 
hugs. 

"  Harry !" 

"  You  are  here  at  last,  Vincent  !** 

The  friends  breakfasted  at  the  Mansion  House, 
and  soon,  repairing  to  Fairleigh's  room,  pipes  were 
brought  out,  and  the  ''  long  talk "  commenced, 
while  the  perfume  of  the  glowing  bowl  rolled  forth 
in  clouds  of  smoke. 

"  Ned  Pritchard,"  Fairleigh  began — **you  remem- 
ber Ned  on  Custer's  staff?  The  tall  fellow  from 
the  9th  Michigan — returned  last  month  from  New 
Mexico." 

*'  He   has  the   golden   fever,   and    badly ;    such 


14         shenaxdoah;  or,  the  horizo2?'s  bar. 

glowing  accounts  of  the  wealth  of  the  terri- 
tory. Well,  he  has  formed  a  mining  company  of 
the  old  officers  of  our  corps  that  he  knew,  and 
some  few  outsiders,  and  we  are  all  going  out  to 
New  Mexico  to  establish  mines,  mills,  cities,  and  all 
that.  I  could  not  stand  the  store.  It  d^ove  me 
wild.  I  readily  endorsed  his  story,  for  I  wanted 
to  get  away.'* 

"  Don't  speak  of  it.    I  have  had  ten  defaults  taken 
against  me     Tried  to  practice  ;  studied  up  Hardie 
and  Upton  instead  of  Parsons  and  the  Code." 
Within  a  week  the  company  was  formed." 
The  first  step.     Will  it  pay  ?" 

*'  You  should  see  the  specimens." 

"  The  rocks  on  the  mantel-piece  here  ?" 

"  The  same.  Gold-bearing  rocks,  my  son,  make 
no  mistake.  No  member  to  own  more  than  one 
share  of  the  stock.  Going  to  keep  all  to  ourselves. 
Nothing  mean  about  us,  is  there?" 

"  Well,  Harry,  I  hope  you  will  do  well  in  the 
venture.  Your  money  used  to  go  freely  enough 
in  the  war  days." 

"  Yes,  surely  ;  each  share  is  five  thousand  dollars, 
and  here  is  yours — bought  and  paid  for." 

''  Mine  !  "  ejaculated  Vincent. 

**  Yours,  Rollin  Vincent,  in  gold  letters ;  see ;  big 
American  eagle,  also  gold,  hovering  over  a  blue 
prairie  and  a  pink  stamp  mill." 

"  Never  can  pay  for  it  in  the  world,  my  dear 
boy." 

"  It  is  paid  for ;  money  in  the  treasury  now. 
Treasurer  has  salted  it  down  in  his  tin  box." 


SHE]!^A."N  JOaH  ;    dR,   THE   HORIZON  S   BAR.  15 

•'  Harry,  I  never — " 

''Not  a  word.  I  bought  it,  paid  for  it;  it  is 
youro.  If  we  succeed  you  can  pay  me  back  out  of 
dividends." 

''  If  we  fail—" 

"  In  the  wide  what-you-call-it  of  youth  there  is 
no  such  thing-um-bob  as  fail." 

"  But,  Harry,  we  may — " 

"Then  it  is  charged  to  that  old  account  between 
us  of  love  on  the  Shenandoah,  where  I  owe  you  yet 
so  much.     Now  silence,  silence,  mon  enfant^ 

"■  Who  are  of  the  party  ?" 

"  Tom  Eaton." 

''  Good." 

"  Dunscombe,  Dakin,  Churchill,  Meredith,  a 
man  by  the  name  of  Frank  Adderly,  a  friend  of 
Churchill.     Know  him  ?  he  was  not  a  soldier." 

Vincent  made  no  ansvv'er. 

"  Why,  we  will  have  more  fun —  nearly  all  old 
soldiers ;  why,  we  will  waltz  away  with  all  the 
Indians  that  get  in  our  path.  I  wish  they  would 
have  made  exclusively  up  of  officers.  Did  you  say 
that  you  knew  Adderly  ?" 

"  I  have  heard  of  a  Francis  Adderly  ;  he  may  not 
be  the  man." 

Vincent  seemed  absorbed  in  distant  and  un- 
pleasant thoughts. 

''  I  don't  like  him  very  much.     Churchill  seems 


16  SHENANDOAH  ;    OR^   THE  HORIZON'S  BAR. 

very  fond  of  him  ;  any  way,  he  is  one  of  us.  The 
machinery  for  our  stamp-mills  is  all  here ;  we 
bought  twelve  enormous  wagons  in  St.  Louis,  and 
we  have  more  young  mules,  kicking  and  snorting 
out  in  a  yard  out  here,  than  you  would  care  to 
count  or  mount." 

"  You're  just  in  time.  We  start  to-morrow  for 
the  plains ;  and  as  we  shall  all  be  well  mounted,  I 
pressed  into  service  a  horse  for  you.  I  hope  he 
will  suit  vou." 

Fairleigh  led  the  way  to  the  stables,  and  first 
patting  a  dark  gray  that  he  said  was  his,  he  ordered 
the  hostler  to  bring  out  the  black  horse. 

Vincent  was  a  true  cavalry  man.  A  horse  was 
his  kingdom  ;  over  it  he  loved  to  rule. 

The  black  horse  was  led  into  the  stable-yard  and 
received  the  warm  encomiums  of  the  captain. 

"  The  horse  is  yours,  RoUin." 

''  But  my  dear  fellow,  that  horse  must  have 
cost  " — ■ 

"  Money — pay  for  him  out  of  your  dividends." 

"  Come  rouse  thee,  my  merry  Swiss  boy,"  sang 
Fairleigh,  as  he  improvised  a  reveille  on  Vincent's 
door  early  the  following  morning. 

The  door  was  opened,  and  the  light-hearted  fel- 
low bounded  into  the  room. 

''  Are  you  aware  that  you  have  been  mustered 
out  of  service  ?  You  retired  last  night  with  }' our 
uniform  on,  as  if  you  expected  to  hear  the  '  long 
roll'  ere  you  had  forty  winks." 

Vincent,  who  had  passed  a  sleepless  night,  hur- 
riedly arranged  his  toilet,  and  with  his  friend  was 


8HEKAND0AH;    OR,  THE  HORIZON^S  BAR.  17 

soon  in  the  saddle.  A  short  ride  brought  them  to 
Salt  Creek,  a  few  miles  from  the  city,  where  the 
party,  mounted,  waited  the  arrival  of  the  wagon- 
master.  Sam  Hallett,  an  experienced  plains 
"  freighter  "  and  superintendent,  who,  with  slouched 
sombrero,  buckskin  suit  trimmed  with  bits  of  silver 
fringe,  and  mounted  on  a  handsome  mule,  soon 
made  his  appearance  and  assumed  command. 

As  the  friends  drew  rein,  all  saluted  in  long-ac- 
customed military  style,  and  cheery  words  passed. 
All  except  Adderly,  who  bestrode  a  magnificent 
chestnut  horse,  and  rode  a  short  distance  away  with 
Churchill. 

"  By  the  way,"  said  Harry,  lighting  a  segar,  and 
handing  one  to  Eaton,  who  accompanied  the  two 
friends,  and  was  mounted  on  a  dark  bay  that  cur- 
vetted and  champed  near  him.  "  I  have  received  a 
letter  from  home.  Father  writes  me  that  he  in- 
tends crossing  the  plains  for  his  health,  and  he 
hopes  that  he  may  meet  us  on  the  road." 

"  Romantic,"  said  Eaton,  watching  a  smoke  ring 
blown  from  under  his  mustache  into  the  clear  air. 

"  And  he  brings  with  him  Nellie,  my  sister,  and 
our  cousin  Kate,"  continued  Fairleigh. 

*'  Jolly  !"  ejaculated  Eaton.  "  A  fine  presentable 
party  we  will  be  by  that  time ;  they  they  will  take 
us  for  Sioux  and  clutch  their  chignons." 

The  most  interesting  figure  connected  with  the 
train  now  came  up — the  wagon-master,  Sam  Hal- 
lett, a  sort  of  "old  salt"  of  the  plains,  now  over 
sixty  years  of  age,  straight  as  an  arrow,  eyes  black 
and  piercing,  long,  gray  hair   thrown  back  off  his 


18  SHEKANDOAH,    OR,  THE  HORIZON'S  BAR. 

ears,  and  falling  in  profuse  waving  ringlets  or  Lis 
shoulders  ;  wearing  a  low,  broad-brimmed  felt  hat, 
an  army  blouse,  a  red  flannel  shirt  open  at  the  neck, 
around  which  a  black  silk  handkerchief  was  loosely- 
tied  ;  buckskin  pants  fringed  at  the  seams  in  Mexi- 
can style,  handsome  moccasins,  and  long  Spanish 
spurs,  of  which  the  little  steel  pendants  tinkled  as 
he  rode.  He  was  mounted  on  a  gigantic  black 
mule.  A  blanket  was  neatly  folded  under  the  sad- 
dle, which  was  of  the  kind  known  as  the  '*  Califor- 
nia tree."  A  pair  of  revolvers  in  holsters  were  fas- 
tened to  the  horn  of  the  saddle,  and  a  girth  of  Mex- 
ican grass  passed  twice  under  the  mule  and  fastened 
to  a  ring  on  the  left  side.  The  broad  wooden  stir- 
rup was  hooded  with  leather.  Everything  found 
on  examination  to  be  ready,  the  wagon-master  is- 
sued to  the  driver  of  the  forward  wagon  the  la- 
conic order  "  Git,  Jim." 

In  Western  parlance,  the  word  "up"  has  been 
discarded  by  drivers  as  superfluous.  The  train 
moved  on  into  a  lovely  country,  the  very  France  of 
America.  Our  soldiers  felt  once  more  the  stir,  ex- 
hilaration, and  enthusiasm  of  their  recent  camp-life. 
That  night  they  halted,  packed  their  wagons,  turned 
out  their  horses,  pitched  their  tents,  divided  the  com- 
pany into  messes  according  to  their  affinities,  kindled 
their  fires,  prepared  and  ate  their  evening  meal,  en- 
joying their  first  night  in  the  open  air  in  the  luxury 
of  the  plains,  and  liable  to  attack  from  the  Indians. 
Leaving  the'  cattle  to  the  care  of  the  herder,  the 
company  gathered  around  the  camp-fire.  Some 
hardly  touched  the  ground  ere  they  were  asleep 
with  the  fatigue  of  the  march.     Others  joined  in 


SHEKAKDOAH  ;    OU,   THE  HORlZON^S  BAR.  19 

songs  and  stories  of  the  camp.  These  being  passed, 
and  equally  familiar  to  them  all,  the  general  inter- 
est centred  in  Sam  Hallett,  the  wagon-master, 
whose  very  garb  and  manner  seemed  to  reveal  mar- 
vellous tales  of  the  new  life  on  which  they  were 
now  entering. 

**  Any  chance  of  scaring  up  some  Injuns  yet?" 
inquired  Fairleigh  of  the  teamster,  as  he  lighted  his 
pipe  by  the  camp  fire. 

"  More  chances  of  their  scarin'  us  up,"  replied  the 
wagon-master.  "  Have  a  good  time  while  ye  can 
these  moonlight  nights,  for,  as  we  get  on,  we'll  only 
boil  the  kettle  and  then  dash  the  fire.  Can't  keep 
a  light  to  draw  the  Injuns." 

"  Don't  you  usually  get  some  inkling  beforehand  ? 
Can't  you  scent  'em,  or  guess  pretty  well  when 
they're  around  ?"  inquired  Dakin. 

The  old  man  surveyed  Dakin  with  a  look  of  com- 
passion, and  replied  drily :  *'  Sometimes,  young 
man,  they  send  a  letter  by  the  post-office,  or  a  mes- 
senger to  notify  us  when  we  may  expect  'em  ;  but, 
as  you  may  have  read  somewhere,  them  instances 
is  seldom." 

Dakin  smiled  with  the  rest  at  the  old  man's  hu- 
mor, as  he  cared  more  to  "  draw  him  out '"  than  to 
shine  in  the  discussion. 

"  But  these  Injuns  couldn't  make  many  points 
fighting  veterans  like  ourselves  ?" 

"  You'd  be  cooler  under  fire,"  replied  Hallett ; 
*'  and  if  that  would  stop  an  arrow,  you'd  be  safer. 
But  I  tell  you,  boys,  you've  all  got  your  fightin'  to 
larn  agin  when  you  come  out  here.     It's  a  long 


20  SHBKAKDOAH  ;    OE,   THE  HORIZOK's  BAR. 

time  since' General  B found  that  out,  and  the 

pint  is  settled." 

''  Hark !  hist !  drop! "  said  the  old  guide,  throw- 
ing himself  on  the  grass,  and  putting  his  ear  to  the 
ground. 

'*  Nothing,"  he  remarked,  rising  ;  "  it  felt  like  a 
stampede,  but  its  only  the  herder  moving  the  stock. 
It's  well  we've  got  a  good  herder :  they  aren't  com- 
mon. The  first  time  I  crossed  the  plains  I  was  a 
herder.  I  hadn't  larned  the  trade  at  all,  and  a 
rough  time  we  had  of  it." 

"  Tell  us  about  it,"  chimed  the  whole  party. 

"  Well,  if  you  don't  care  to  turn  in,  I  will.  We 
started  a  large  party  from  Fort  Leavenworth  about 
the  middle  of  September  for  California.  Grass  was 
high,  and  not  much  water  till  we  reached  the  Platte. 
We  lay  corralled  one  night  at  Plum  Creek,  thirty 
miles  beyond  Fort  Kearney.  It  was  in  October,  and 
the  nights  were  cold.  In  the  afternoon  there  had 
been  a  light  fall  of  snow.  While  we  were  unhar- 
nessing, an  ox-train  came  up  and  camped  near  us. 
I  drove  our  mules  down  to  drink,  and  was  return- 
ing with  them  to  find  good  grass,  when  the  oxen 
came  down  to  the  river-bank.  Their  herder  was  a 
young  man  not  over  twenty,  mounted  on  a  hand- 
some bay.  He  reined  up  and  said :  '  Pardner,  if 
you'll  wait  until  I  water  my  oxen,  I'll  show  you  a 
place  where  the  buffalo-grass  is  high.' 

''  So  I  waited  for  him.  We  were  soon  driving  our 
stock  before  us,  laughing  and  hallooing.  We  halted 
about  a  mile  from  camp.  The  buffalo-grass  was 
good,  and  the  horses  fell  to  eating.  The  ground 
was  wet  and  cold,  as  the  snow  had  melted.     But 


SHEKAKDOAH  ;    OE,   THE  HORIZON^S  BAR.  21 

my  partner  taught  me  a  new  wa};^  to  find  a  dry, 
warm  bed  in  the  midst  of  a  cold,  wet  prairie.  Go- 
ing" to  where  two  oxen  were  13'ing  back  to  back,  he 
rooted  one  of  them  up  by  a  kick  in  the  ribs.  The 
other  never  stirred.  Lying  down  in  the  place  va- 
cated by  the  ox,  and  snuggling  up  to  my  bovine 
bed-fellow,  I  found  an  exceedingly  warm  and  com- 
fortable companion.  Taking  the  saddle  off  my 
boss  and  laying  it  down  alongside,  I  tied  a  lariat  to 
the  bridle,  and  made  the  other  end  fast  to  my  wrist. 
I  then  lay  down  to  sleep,  fully  protected  from  the 
wind,  dry  and  as  warm  as  a  cup  of  toast  and  tea. 
There  was  a  good  moon,  but  I  soon  fell  asleep.  I 
must  have  been  asleep  about  an  hour,  when  I  felt  a 
jerk  at  my  wrist  and  started  up.  My  boss  seemed 
in  mortal  terror.  He  was  doubled  up,  and  shivered 
like  a  poplar  in  the  wind.  It  was  so  bright  that  I 
could  see  for  miles.  I  saw  nothing  to  alarm  him, 
so  I  said  in  a  low  tone  :  '  Be  quiet,  sir.'  He  quieted 
down  and  began  to  feed  again.  I  lay  down  once 
more,  right  wide-awake  and  keen,  for  I  kept  won- 
dering what  had  startled  him. 

"  Presently  a  slight  jerk  at  the  rein  caused  me  to 
start  up  quickl}^  and  I  saw  a  sight  that  caused  me 
to  draw  my  revolver  instantly.  I  cocked  it,  and 
waited  for  a  chance  to  fire.  I  lay  on  the  outer 
edge  of  the  herd,  with  my  ox  between  me  and  my 
object.  I  could  not  make  it  out.  It  was  about 
sixty  yards  off,  and  seemed  like  a  buffalo  crawling 
in  the  grass.  It  would  creep  slowly,  then  disap- 
pear. It  remained  hidden  for  some  time.  It  then 
raised  itself  again  within  eight  rods  of  me.  It  was 
crawlmg  towards  me  through  the  grass. 


S2  SHEKAKDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HOUIZON^S  BAR. 

"  My  horse  saw  it,  and  began  to  snort  and  dance 
with  fear.  I  was  about  to  fire,  when  a  hand  was 
laid  hurriedly  on  my  leg  by  some  one  behind  me.  I 
sprang  and  almost  yelled  with  terror.  I  shall  al- 
ways remember  what  a  chill  ran  over  me.  It  was 
the  young  herder.  He  had  crawled  through  the 
grass  to  where  I  lay  to  warn  me  of  danger. 

"  '  Hist !  said  he,  in  a  whisper,  '  make  no  noise  ; 
we  are  surrounded  by  Indians  ;  they  are  going  to 
stampede  the  stock.  Draw  in  your  horse  quickly, 
as  I  do  ;'  (his  horse  had  followed  him  slowly,  so  as 
not  to  show  alarm)  '  when  he  is  near  enough 
mount,  and  fly  to  camp  for  your  life.  We  cannot 
save  the  stock.  I  counted  six  feathered  heads  in 
the  grass,  and  the  ravine  beyond  where  I  lay 
swarms  with  them.'  While  he  was  whispering  I 
was  drawing  in  the  frightened  horse.  In  an  ink- 
ling we  were  mounted.  As  I  sprang  in  the  saddle, 
I  struck  my  horse  with  the  end  of  a  lariat,  and  drove 
my  spurs  deep  into  his  flesh.  Snorting  with  pain 
and  rage,  he  dashed  madly,  for  camp  with  the 
speed  of  the  wind.  I  never  strike  a  horse  except 
in  peril.  I  never  had  touched  him  with  a  spur  be- 
fore, and  it  made  him  wild.  An  arrow  whizzed 
past  my  face ;  and  then  a  cry  at  my  side,  and  the 
young  herder  fell  from  his  saddle.  I  could  not  save 
him,  for  they  were  close  behind.  I  looked  back. 
A  painted  savage  had  his  knee  planted  upon  his 
breast,  I  saw  a  flashing  of  bright  steel  in  the 
moonlight,  a  cry  of  agony  was  borne  on  the  still 
air,  and  I  knew  that  the  young  herder  was  past 
saving.  With  a  terrible  yell  they  tossed  aloft  his 
bloody    scalp.     Their  awful    cry  froze    my    very 


8SEN"Al^t)0Afi  ;    Oil,   THE  noMzON^S  BAit.  S3 

blood.  My  heart  seemed  to  stop  beating.  Many 
a  night  when  far  away  from  danger,  in  bed  at 
home,  I  have  heard  that  yell  in  my  dreams.  When 
I  did,  farewell  to  sleep  that  night." 

"  What  had  you  seen  in  the  grass  ?"  interrupted 
Stokes. 

"An  Indian.  I  afterwards  caught  a  glimpse  of 
him  as  he  sprang  into  the  middle  of  the  frightened 
herd.  Upon  his  head  he  wore  the  front  and  horns 
of  a  buffalo-bull,  the  skin  of  the  animal  hanging 
down  his  back.  In  one  hand  he  held  a  large  rattle, 
box,  in  the  other  a  spear  ;  with  a  shout  he  sprang 
up  before  the  animals  and  began  shaking  the  rattle^ 
box.  I  have  one  now  in  my  wagon.  It  is  made  of 
deer-skin,  and  filled  with  buffalo-claws  and  bits  of 
flint.  As  he  shook  the  rattle  and  yelled,  the  herd 
stampeded,  and  roaring,  snorting,  and  bellow^ing, 
the  mules  and  the  oxen  dashed  over  the  prairie. 

"  An  Indian  seized  the  lariat  of  the  dead  herder's 
horse,  and  was  on  his  back  and  after  the  flying 
herd  in  no  time.  The  others,  whose  ponies  were 
hidden  in  a  ravine  near  by,  mounted  and  followed, 
yelling  at  the  animals  and  thrusting  their  spear- 
points  into  the  sides  of  those  that  lagged.  I 
reached  camp ;  the  train  had  been  roused  by  the 
yells  of  the  savages.  Twenty -four  hunters  joined 
us  the  day  before  ;  their  horses  were  picketed  near 
the  wagons.  As  I  rode  up  the  party  were  mount- 
ing. '  How  many  red  skins  are  there  ?'  said  they. 
*  Not  over  twenty,  I  should  think,'  I  replied.  On 
they  rode  after  them  ;  I  rode  back  to  where  I  had 
lain  to  get  my  saddle.  I  found  it,  and  was  buckling 
my  girth,  when  I  heard  a  low,  moaning  sound.     I 


24  SHEKAIIDOAH  ;    OR,   THB  HORIZON*S  BAR. 

turned  quickly  and  listened.  The  night  winds 
were  sighing  in  the  trees  along  the  opposite  shore 
of  the  Platte.  The  slightest  sound  alarmed  me.  I 
was  about  to  mount,  but  there  in  the  moonlight, 
with  his  face  ghastly  and  upturned,  lay  the  young 
herder,  with  an  arrow  through  his  heart." 

The  old  man  paused.  His  voice  trembled,  and  a 
tear  fell  on  his  hand. 

"  It  was  the  first  man  I  had  seen  killed  by  an 
Indian;   it  impressed  me  ;  I  never  can  forget  it." 

The  old  man  had  forgotten  in  the  memories  his 
story  had  awakened  to  make  use  of  the  slang  terms 
and  Border  phrases  that  marked  his  conversation 
at  the  outset.  His  roughness  of  language  and  man- 
ner had  vanished  as  he  warmed  into  his  story. 
After  a  pause  he  resumed  : 

'*  I  lifted  the  dead  boy  from  the  ground  and  laid 
his  head  upon  my  knee  ;  the  arrow  had  gone 
through  his  body  ;  the  point  came  out  just  below 
the  shoulder  blade.  Did  you  ever  see  an  Indian 
arrow  ?"  turning  to  Meredith. 

"  No,  I  never  did." 

"  I  have  one  in  my  wagon  ;  I  will  bring  it." 

*'  This  is  a  Sioux  arrow.  It's  singular  that  the 
arrows  of  every  tribe  difter.  I  said  it  was  no  use 
to  attempt  to  pull  out  the  arrow,  for  see  here." 

The  young  men  gathered  around. 

"  Do  you  see  this  little  groove  running  from 
the  point  down  to  the  feather?  They  cut  that 
in  their  arrows  so  the  blood  will  not  clog  around 
the  point,  but  will  continue  to  fiow  till  their  victim 
bleeds  to  death.  See,  too,  the  shape  of  the  point. 
The  red  devils  do  not  mean  that  you  shall  with- 


BHEIS"ANDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZON'S  BAR.  25 

draw  the  arrow,  for  if  you  attempt  it,  it  makes  a 
wound  that  rarely  or  never  heals. 

Well,  the  young  herder  had  been  scalped,  and 
the  blood  trickled  down  over  his  handsome  face. 
I  laid  him  down,  mounted  my  horse,  and  rode  on 
swiftly  after  the  hunters,  who  had  passed  out  of 
sight.  I  knew  they  could  not  be  far  distant.  I 
fancied  I  heard  a  rushing  sound  like  the  wind  in 
the  distance.  I  reined  in  my  horse.  Nearer  and 
nearer  it  came.  I  could  hear  yells  and  the  sound 
of  fire-arms.  Presently  horsemen  came  in  sight. 
The  hunters  were  retreating.  Full  two  hundred 
Indians  were  behind  them. 

''  Fly  for  your  life  !"  shouted  the  foremost  hunter, 
as  he  came  near  me.  We  dashed  back  to  camp- 
It  w^as  a  narrow  escape,  for  they  had  almost  over- 
taken us.  The  Indians  halted  just  beyond  rifle- 
range,  and  remained  in  consultation.  We  waited 
an  attack.  I  learned  from  one  of  the  hunters  that 
they  came  up  to  the  Indians  about  three  miles  fi-om 
camp.  Just  as  they  were  ready  to  fire  upon  them 
the  red  devils  rose  from  the  grass  on  all  sides,  and 
they  were  surrounded.  They  dashed  through,  fol- 
lowed closely  by  the  savages. 

"  It  was  upwards  of  an  hour  before  any  movement 
was  made  by  the  Indians  against  our  camp.  At 
last,  with  a  yell,  they  dashed  down  upon  us.  They 
never  come  in  platoons,  but  formed  a  circle  ;  five  or 
six  dropped,  but  they  were  instantly  taken  off. 

Soon  after  the  Indians  retired,  six  hunters,  armed 
and  mounted,  set  out  to  notify  the  garrison  at  Fort 
Kearney  of  our  loss.  It  was  a  ride  of  thirty  miles. 
The  moon  had  gone  down.     It  was  ver^  dark,    Once 


Jr 


26       .     SHEN^ANDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZON  S  BAR. 

away  from  camp  they  had  little  to  fear,  as  the  In- 
dians never  attack  in  the  dark.  Silently  they  rode 
out  of  camp  ;  their  horses'  hoofs  had  been  muf- 
fled so  as  to  make  no  noise  when  they  reached  the 
waofon-road.  We  all  shook  hands  at  the  mouth  of 
the  corral,  for  perhaps  we  might  never  meet  again 
in  this  world  ;  then  out  they  rode  into  the  night. 
We  listened  with  our  ears  to  the  ground  to  hear  if 
they  were  attacked  ;  not  a  sound  was  heard  but  the 
howling  of  wolves  far  in  the  distance. 

"  I  lay  down  to  rest.  I  drew  my  blanket  over 
me  but  I  could  not  sleep ;  the  pale  face  of  the 
herder  with  the  blood  upon  his  forehead  was  con- 
stantly before  me.     I  thought  of  the  poor  fellow 

lying  unburied  in  the  prairie,  and  it  worried  me. 
I    rose,    walked    out ;    I    passed    the    guard,  and 

crossed  to  the  camp  of  the  ox-train.  They  were 
all  awake,  and  many  started  to  their  feet  as  I  en- 
tered the  corral. 

"  '  Poor  Shirley,*  said  the  wagon-master  of  that 
train,  when  he  had  discovered  who  I  was.  *  I  won't 
know  what  to  say  to  his  mother.' 

**  *  I  cannot  sleep,'  said  I,  '  while  the  thought  of  the 
poor  boy  lying  unburied  is  in  my  mind.  I  know 
where  he  lies,  and  if  you  will  help  me,  I  will  go  now 
and  bury  him.' 

"  '  I  will  go  with  you,'  said  he. 

*'  The  others  tried  to  reason  us  out  of  it.  We 
went.  We  soon  found  the  wagon-road,  and  were 
traveling  along  noislessly. 

"'It  must  be  near  here,'  I  said  in  a  whisper; 
*  yonder  is  the  ravine.' 

Suddenly  the  wagon-master  caught  me  by  the 


SHENANDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZON'S  BAR.  27 

arm  a«d  forced  me  on  my  knees.     "  Look !'  he  said 
huskily,  *  what  is  that  ?' 

**  It  was  a  moving  object  of  some  kind ;  I  cocked 
my  revolver.  '  Don't  fire,  don't  fire,*  he  whispered, 
we  may  have  the  whole  howling  pack  of  red-skins 
down  on  us  in  a  minute." 

"  We  crawled  nearer  the  object,  our  revolvers  in 
our  hands,  In  a  moment  my  hand  was  upon  the 
dead  body  of  the  herder.  I  saw  the  gleaming  eyes 
that  darted  forth  lightning,  then  a  low  growl.  I 
started  with  horror.     It  was  a  wolf.  .  .  . 

"  I  drew  a  match  from  my  pocket,  lit  it  hurriedly, 
and  threw  it  at  its  eyes.  With  a  howl  it  started  off 
a  few  yards,  and  sat  down  ;  and  we  could  see,  as  we 
dug  a  grave  with  our  knives,  the  eyes  of  the  fiend 
watching  us.  The  grave  was  made,  and  the  lifeless 
form  was  soon  hid  from  view.  The  wolf  kept  trot- 
ting around  as  we  were  covering  up  the  body. 

"  '  We  must  kill  him,  or  as  soon  as  we  are  gone  he' 
will  dig  it  up,'  whispered  the  wagon-master  as  we 
pressed  down  the  sods  on  the  grave. 

'' '  How  shall  I  kill  him  ?'  I  asked. 

"  *  Wait  till  you  get  a  chance,  then  fire.* 

'' '  But  the  Indians—' 

*' '  We  have  put  our  hands  to  the  plough  ;  we  must 
not  turn  back  now.' 

"  I  waited  for  the  chance  and  fired  ;  the  wolf  fell. 
We  rushed  upon  him.  He  was  not  dead,  but  on  a 
broken  hip  wheeled  round  and  round,  snapping  with 
his  sharp  teeth.  Another  shot  finished  him.  *  Now,' 
said  the  wagon-master,  cutting  open  the  carcass  and 
strewing  it  over  the  ground,  *  if  wolves  come  this 
way  they  will  feed  upon  their  brother,  not  ours/ 


28  SHENAiq-DOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HOEIZON'S  BAR. 

"  We  returned  to  camp.  Morning  was  dawning, 
and  yet  no  signs  of  the  hunters  who  had  started 
for  the  Fort.  There  lay  the  trains,  without  a  hoof 
to  move  them  on  their  way. 

**  Soon,  far  off  on  the  prairie,  a  little  speck  was 
seen  ;  larger  it  grew.  It  was  the  hunters  returning, 
and  with  them  a  company  of  cavalry.  They 
reached  the  camp.  A  hurried  consultation.  The  of- 
ficer who  commanded  them  divided  his  force.  The 
body,  consisting  of  forty  cavalrymen  and  all  the 
hunters,  should  cross  the  river  and  scour  along  the 
northern  shore.  I  was  with  this  part}^  and  it  was 
commanded  by  a  lieutenant  named  Stokes." 

"  Who  was  that,  Harry  ?"  inquired  many  voices 
of  the  Stokes  who  lay  at  the  camp-fire. 

"  My  brother  Percy,  who  was  stationed  out  here 
some  years  ago,"  replied  Harry  Stokes. 

*'  He  was  a  brave  fellow,  any  way  ;  I  can  say  that 
for  him.  The  other  party,  of  about  the  same  num- 
ber, were  to  move  along  the  southern  bank,  under 
command  of  the  captain ;  I  do  not  remember  his 
name.  We  crossed  the  river,  for  the  Platte  was 
very  low,  and  rode  on  for  about  five  miles.  We 
began  to  think  we  should  not  find  a  trail,  when 
suddenly  we  came  upon  a  camp-fire  still  smokmg. 
We  rode  down  to  the  river  and  saw  tracks  of 
oxen.  They  had  crossed  the  river  just  below.  The 
lieutenant  ordered  us  forward  on  a  brisk  trot,  the 
trail  growing  fresher. 

"  *  There  they  are,  just  entering  the  bluffs,*  said  a 
hunter. 

"  On  we  rode  with  a  hurrah  after  them.  They 
were  disposed  to  show  fight. 


SHENAKDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZON'S  BAR.  29 

"  *  Charge  !'  said  the  lieutenant. 

"  In  we  went,  pell-mell.  With  true  Indian  cun- 
ning, while  they  were  showing  fight  to  us  a  small 
body  was  quietly  driving  away  the  stolen  stock. 
But  the  lieutenant  flanked  them. 

"  '  Go  for  them,  hunters,'  he  said  to  the  detach- 
ment from  the  train. 

"  Just  that  minute  a  loud  hurrah  was  heard.  The 
party  under  the  captain  had  found  the  crossing- 
place,  and  were  fording  the  river.  The  hunters  on 
their  fleet  steeds  headed  off  the  party  with  the 
mules  and  oxen,  and  poured  a  volley  from  their 
revolvers  into  the  red-skins  that  made  them  tumble 
upon  all  sides.  Indians  were  now  flying  over  the 
river,  into  the  bluffs,  and  scattering  in  every  direc- 
tion. It  was  a  great  victory  for  us.  We  had  re- 
captured our  stolen  stock  as  well  as  twenty  Indian 
ponies.  We  counted  thirteen  savages  lying  dead 
on  the  field,  and  we  must  have  wounded  many 
more.  We  got  back  to  camp  that  night.  Next 
morning  the  trains  started  on  their  way,  and  so 
ends  my  story.     I  am  afraid  I  have  drawn  largely 

upon  your   stock  of  patience,"    said  the    wagon- 
master. 

An  hour  later  all  the  camp  had  retired  to  rest — 
all  except  Vincent;  within  his  breast  was  the 
spirit  of  unrest.  The  past,  with  its  memories, 
haunted  him  as  he  sat  in  the  darkness  alone.  The 
voice  and  face  of  the  wagon-master  linked  past  and 
present ;  brought  thoughts  he  would  forget,  but 
could  not ;  and  with  bowed  head  he  waited  the 
morning's  preparation  to  dispel  the  phantoms  of  the 
night. 


80  SHEKANDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZOJ^'S  BAR. 


CHAPTER  III. 

"  bull-whackers"  and   "  PRAIRIE-SCHOONERS. 


The  morning  star  shone  brightly  in  the  east. 

Vincent  sat  by  the  smouldering  fire,  his  military 
cloak  about  him,  and  again,  as  in  days  past,  he  was 
in  deep  reverie. 

The  wagon-master  rolled  from  his  hammock  and 
crossed  the  camp  to  arouse  the  slumbering  gold- 
seekers  ;  a  low  moan  fell  on  his  ear. 

He  turned  and  beheld  the  bowed  figure.  He 
touched  Vincent  on  the  shoulder.  The  cloak  fell 
and  revealed  in  the  uncertain  light  a  face  as  white 
as  marble  and  as  cold  and  hard. 

"  Are  you  in  pain,  young  man  ?"  his  voice  soft  as 
a  woman's. 

''  Yes,  in  my  soul.     Who  are  you?" 

A  step  away,  and  Fairleigh,  shivering,  yawning, 
and  half  asleep,  approached  and  stretched  out  his 
hands  over  the  fire.  In  the  darkness  he  failed  to 
notice  the  scene,  but  turning,  said  : 

"  What,  ho  !  here  is  Captain  Dumps.  The  war  is 
over,  Vincent,  and  you  should  leave  your  blues,  as 
your  legacy,  to  the  Lost  Cause," 


SHENANDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZON'S  BAR.  31 

The  camp  was  soon  astir. 

Muleteers  were  harnessing  their  teams. 

Fairleigh  kindly  urged  his  friend  to  his  feet,  and 
vfien,  with  feeble,  tottering  steps,  the  captain  sought 
his  horse. 

A  drowsy  and  hasty  breakfast,  and  the  train  was 
soon  in  motion. 

The  horsemen  in  twos  and  threes  rode  in  ad- 
vance or  by  the  side  of  the  train. 

Vincent  and  Fairleigh  walked  their  horses,  and 
so  soon  fell  in  the  rear. 

The  captain  had  evidently  plunged  so  deeply  in 
the  recesses  of  his  own  past,  that  Fairleigh  almost 
abandoned  the  hope  of  raising  his  spirits. 

A  sudden  thought  seized  the  lieutenant.  "  Come, 
Captain,  let's  ride  up  to  the  w^agon-master ;  he  is 
always  interesting." 

Far  ahead  of  the  train,  his  sombrero  shading  his 
eyes,  rode  the  wagon-master.  The  reins  had  fallen 
on  the  neck  of  his  mule,  who  snapped  at  tufts  of 
grass  here  and  there  along  the  dusty  road.  The 
old  man  sat  erect,  with  folded  arms,  but  caught  up 
the  reins  hurriedly  as  they  checked  their  horses  at 
his  side,  and  looked  about  him  with  startled  air; 
then  smiled,  and  said  : 

"  You  skeered  me ;  it  ain't  often  I  fall  a  dream 
ins:  in  the  dav-timel" 

"  When  do  we  meet  buffalo?"  inquired  Fairleigh, 
panting  from  his  gallop. 

"  Beyond  Fort  Kearney." 

*'  Where  are  we  now  ?" 

"Nearing  the  Big  Sandy  River." 

An  ox-train  was  seen  as  they  came  to  the  top  of 


32  SHENANDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZON^S  BAR. 

a  hill,  wending  its  slow  way  along  the  dusty  road, 
the  oxen  swaying  to  and  fro  with  their  noses  near 
the  ground. 

"  How  jaded  the  poor  beasts  seem,"  said  Fair- 
leigh. 

"And  if  turned  into  camp,  tired  as  they  seem, 
they  would  stampede  at  the  slightest  provocation, 
and  run  miles  before  you  could  stop  them,"  added 
Hallett. 

The  wagons  had  almost  passed,  when  the  Avagon- 
master  remarked,  "  I  think  1  know  the  boss  of  that 
outfit,"  observing  a  man  on  a  dark  chestnut  horse 
in  the  rear  of  the  train. 

Hallett  touched  his  mule  lightly  with  the  spur, 
and  was  soon  at  his  side.  The  stranger  turned  in 
his  saddle,  greeted  the  old  man  cordially,  and  then 
both  wagon-masters  rode  in  the  rear  of  the  ox-team 
some  distance. 

A  few  minutes  later  Fairleigh  and  Vincent,  who 
still  rode  at  the  head  of  their  train,  was  rejoined  by 
the  wagon-master. 

"Duncan,  the  superintendent  of  that  train,  tells 
me  that  the  Sioux  are  on  the  war-path.  They  cor- 
ralled him  thirty  miles  west  of  Marysville  and 
fought  him  close  to  Fort  Kearney,  and  that  there 
is  not  a  ranche  left  standing  between  Marysville 
and  the  Fort." 

"  Will  the  troops  at  the  Fort  be  able  to  subdue 
them  ?"  asked  Fairleigh. 

"  Subdue  !  The  soldiers  know  as  little  of  Indian 
fighting  as  I  do  of  book-keeping,"  answered  Hal- 
lett, sharply ;  and  then,  in  tones  half-apologetic : 
"  My  friend,  the  deviltry  is  over  before  the  soldier 
gets  his  boots  blacked  and  his  spurs  polishedt" 


SHEN"AKI)OAH  ;    Oil,   THE  HOKIZON^S  BAH.  S3 

*'  They  move  too  slowly  ?"  suggested  Fairleigh. 

The  old  man  grew  nervous,  spurred  his  mule, 
then  held  her  back,  and  seemed  anxious  to  get  for- 
ward at  once  to  Indian  country,  and  thus  chafed  at 
the  delay. 

"  Bad  news,  gentlemen,"  he  continued.  "  The 
Little  Blue  River  country  is  full  of  hills  and  hiding- 
away  places;  the  Sioux,  too,  the  bravest,  and  best 
disciplined  Indians  of  the  plains." 

Meredith  and  Churchill  here  rode  up,  and  Fair- 
leigh communicated  to  them  the  unwelcome  news. 

"  And  that's  not  the  worst  of  it,"  said  Hallett. 

Every  eye  was  fixed  on  the  wagon-master. 

"  Duncan  says  that  the  red  wretches  had  rifles 
and  obeyed  a  bugle-call  like  so  many  cavalrymen ; 
some  white  devils  in  this  raid." 

"  We  camp  here  to-night,"  said  the  w^agon-master 
suddenly  ;  then  riding  into  a  green  oasis  and  throw- 
ing himself  from  his  animal,  unloosing  the  girth,  he 
threw  off  the  saddle,  and  slipping  the  bridle  over 
the  neck  and  slapping  her  flank,  said  :  "  Away,  Bet !" 

The  freed  beast  with  a  snort  and  toss  of  her  head 
bounded  away  for  a  short  distance,  and  then  took 
a  refreshing  roll  in  the  grass. 

Henry  and  Rollin  were  "  pitching"  their  tent  for 
the  night,  after  supper  had  passed,  and  many  of  the 
members  were  gathered  about  the  fire.  The  wag- 
on-master, lashing  his  hammock  under  a  wagon  near 
them,  said: 

"  You  military  gentlemen  may  have  a  chance  to 
show  your  training  with  different  foe  ;  you  will  not 
like  the  Sioux." 


S4  SHEKAKDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZOJf^S  BAE. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

"THE  GENTLE   SAVAGE." 

At  noon  the  next  day  the  train  crossed  the  Big 
Sandy  River;  and  reaching  a  point  just  beyond  it 
two  roads  met,  and  the  wagon-master  led  the  way 
by  the  left,  the  ''  cut-off,"  as  it  w^as  then  known,  be- 
ing the  shortest  road  to  Fort  Kearney.  A  few 
hours  afterward  the  foremost  wagon  rolled  into  the 
city  of  Marysville,  Kansas.  This  city,  with  its  mag- 
nificent edifices, — two  outfitting  stores,  a  law  office,  a 
barber's  shop,  two  saloons,  blacksmith's  forge, — was 
not  visible  five  minutes  before  the  train  entered  the 
main  street  of  the  frontier  town,  so  thoroughly  was 
it  hidden  in  the  swells  of  the  rolling  prairie.  The 
drivers  led  their  teams  to  the  blacksmith's  shop  to  be 
reshod.  The  young  men  went  through  the  stores, 
and  many  visited  the  saloons,  while  a  few  of  the 
dandy  members  of  the  party  sought  the  barber,  who 
on  this  gray  edge  of  civilization  proudly  planted  his 
striped  pole,  braving  the  rude  blast  of  the  prairie  to 
throw  it  down,  and  deiying  the  rascally  Sioux  to 
pull  it  up. 

The  story  of  the  wagon-master  of  the  ox-train  as  to 
the  Sioux  raid  was  corroborated.  The  settlers  were 
arming,  and  the  farmers  and  ranchmen  living  near 
were  moving  in  with  their  families  and  stock. 

Intense  excitement  prevailed  ;  the  price  of  fire- 
arms in  the  stores  advanced  ;  and,  to  add  to  the  gen- 
eral alarm,  the  teamsters  of  the  trains,  who  had 


SHEN-ANDOAH  ;    OR,    THE   HORIZON'S   BAR.  35 

heretofore  taken  turns  at  guarding  at  night,  de- 
manded that  a  skilled  herder  be  engaged.  To 
this  the  company  agreed  at  a  meeting  held  in  the 
corral,  to  allay  the  teamster's  fears  until  a  herder 
could  be  provided.  The  animals  were  to  feed  nearer 
the  train  at  night  than  before,  and  the  guard  was  to 
be  redoubled  about  the  train. 

The  day  wore  along,  the  evening  came ;  Churchill, 
Adderly,  and  Meredith  patronized  the  billiard-room, 
and  Churchill  returned  to  the  train  early  in  the 
mofning  somewhat  the  worse  for  liquor,  and  leaning 
heavily  on  his  companions. 

It  was  past  noon  the  next  day  when  the  train  was 
in  motion.  The  young  men  rode  near  the  train 
with  their  rifles  slung  across  their  shoulders,  their 
revolvers  in  their  holsters  fastened  on  their  saddle. 

At  night  the  camp-fire  was  put  out  immediately 
after  supper.  The  members  in  the  darkness  gath- 
ered in  knots  and  discussed  the  situation.  Days  of 
danger  passed  in  the  wars  had  hardened  many  of 
them  as  to  the  possible  chances  of  bloodshed  on 
the  morrow,  but  the  foe  they  were  perhaps  soon  to 
meet  conjured  up  a  dread  they  had  never  felt  on 
other  fields. 

The  moon  rose  early,  and  showed  clear  and  bright 
on  the  wagons,  tents,  and  cattle  feeding  in  the  near 
distance. 

The  wagon-master,  pipe  in  hand,  seated  on  Fair- 
leigh's  mess-chest,  smoked  thoughtfully.  Vincent, 
stretched  full  length  on  a  buffalo-skin,  looked  in- 
tently in  the  old  man's  face. 

Fairleigh  with  measured  strokes  drove  the  stakes 
in  to  hold  the  tent  cords. 


56  SHEITAKDOAH  ;    OK,   THE   HORIZON^S  BAR. 

"  I  will  move  the  train  night  and  day  while  this 
bright  moon  lasts;  I  want  to  get  out  of  this  region 
and  put  Fort  Kearney  behind  me,"  he  said,  quietly, 
drawing  at  his  pipe. 

"  This  is  the  dangerous  ground  ?"  remarked  Dakin 
inquiringly. 

*'It  is  the  region  of  the  'Little  Blue,*  and  just 
now  the  most  dangerous  part  of  our  journey. 

"This  is  the  news 
To  bring  the  Little  Blues." 

"  As  I  am  a  poet,"  said  Eaton ;  "  yet  it  is  a  very 
romantic  country  that  here  lays  out-a-doors.  The 
sand  of  this  bottom  is  as  white  as  snow,  and  the 
wooded  hillocks  you  meet  at  every  turn  remind  you 
of  so  many  green  islands  in  a  sea  of  alabaster. 
Romantic!  Look  back  of  it  in  the  moonlight,"  and 
Eaton  gazed  admiringly  at  a  portion  of  the  territory 
recently  passed  by  the  train. 

One  by  one  the  members  gave  themselves  to 
sleep,  and  in  a  few  moments  nothing  was  heard  but 
the  measured  trade  of  Dakin  and  Murray,  who  were 
on  guard. 

The  train  rolled  westward  early  in  the  morning. 
The  wind  had  changed  during  the  night,  and  the 
morning  was  gray  and  the  air  chilly. 

In  advance  of  the  train  Fairleigh,  Vincent,  and 
Hallett  rode  abreast.  "  Captain  Vincent,"  said  Hal- 
lett,  "will  you  be  good  enough  to  ride  back  and 
caution  the  members  to  have  their  weapons  ready  ?" 

An  hour  passed  in  silence.  Fairleigh  was  about 
to  speak,  when  he  suddenly  checked  up  his  horse 
and  exclaimed : 


SHEJ^TAKDOAH  ;    OE,   THE  HOEIZOK'S  BAE.  37 

-Hark!     What's  that?" 

A  low  rumbling  sound  was  heard  behind  them, 
and  breaking  the  haze  of  the  morning  came  the  mail- 
coach  with  horses  at  full  galop.  Four  cavalry  men 
with  carbines  slung  across  their  shoulders,  mounted 
on  foaming  horses,  brought  up  in  the  rear.  They 
were  soon  lost  in  the  depths  of  the  mist  of  the^morn- 
ing,  and  once  again  the  train  moved  on  in  a  silence 
broken  only  b}^  the  occasional  crack  of  the  muleteer's 
whip  lash. 

*'  Dangerous  times  and  dangerous  ground,"  re- 
marked Hallet,  quietly.  And  then  he  added  earn- 
estly, "  I  am  glad  our  friends  have  their  weapons  at 
hand.  I  wish  you  would  remember  well  what  I  say 
to  you.  Always  keep  a  last  load  in  your  revolvers. 
If  taken  alive  by  the  savages,  and  you  should  see  no 
hope  of  escape  or  chance  of  recapture,  place  the 
muzzle  to  your  heart,  ask  the  Lord  to  forgive  you 
for  your  sins,  and  fire.  Alive  and  in  their  hands, 
you  would  suffer  pangs  of  death  an  hundred  times 
before  they  kill  you. 

Tongue  can  hardly  tell  their  fiendish  cruelty.  If 
you  show  the  "  white  feather,"  they  turn  you  over 
to  the  tender  mercies  of  the  squaws,  who  either 
cause  you  to  "run  the  gauntlet"  through  a  line  of 
tomahawks,  or  you  are  pinned  to  a  tree  and  burned 
to  death  while  the  young  Indians  shoot  at  you  with 
heated  arrows.  If  you  fight  well,  and  if  after  you 
are  captured  you  still  show  fight,  there  is  hope  that 
you  will  not  be  tortured,  for  they  have  respect  for 
brave  men.  Now,  when  I  was  captured  down  on 
the  North  Fork  of  the  Republican  last  summer,  I 
managed  to  escape  by — " 


38  SHEKAlTDOAH  ;    OR,   THE   HORIZON'S  BAR. 

A  faint  cry  like  the  howling  of  wolves  feirupon 
their  ears. 

All  paused  and  listened,  and  the  eyes  of  the  young 
men  were  first  fixed  in  the  direction  whence  the 
sound  proceeded,  and  then  sought  the  anxious  face 
of  Hallett. 

"  It  sounded  like  the  yelping  of  wolves,"  said 
Fairleigh. 

"  Nay,  nay,  young  man  ;  I  cannot  be  deceived  as 
to  the  war-whoops  of  the  Indians.  They  have 
attacked  the  stage.  Heaven  help  whoever  they  are 
attacking!" 

"  Amen,"  said  Vincent  slowly ;  and  he  added, 
"  let  us  go  on  and  see  if  we  cannot  help  the  at- 
tacked." 

**  No,  no,"  said  Hallett,  laying  his  hand  on  Vin- 
cent's arm.  "  Stand  fast  and  wait  until  the  train 
comes  up ;  then  at  once  corral — you  would  ride 
perhaps  to  your  death. ^' 

The  old  man  held  the  captain  firmly.  The  latter 
show^ed  every  sign  of  impatience  and  a  determination 
to  break  away,  notwithstanding  the  earnest,  sup- 
plicating look  of  the  wagon-master. 

Now  came  the  rattle  of  fire-arms. 

Vincent  hurriedly  drew  away  his  arm,  touched 
his  horse  with  his  spurs,  and  in  an  instant  was  fly- 
ing over  the  prairie,  followed  closely  by  Fairleigh, 
with  Hallett  a  few  paces  in  the  rear. 

*'Onl  Captain,  on!"  called  Fairleigh,  rising  in  his 
stirrups. 

"  If  he  will  go,"  said  the  wagon-master  between 
his  teeth,  "  I'll  go  with  him." 

Away  they  bounded  over  the  prairie.     Foam  lay 


SHEKAl^DOAtt  ;    OR,    THE  HORIZON^S  BAR.  39 

in  streaks  on  the  steaming  flanks  of  the  animals,  and 
yet  they  drew  not  in  on  their  bridle-reins. 

Soon  hoofs  were  heard  as  they  dashed  over  a 
flinty  path,  and  the  cavalrymen,  their  faces  blanched 
with  terror,  spurred  past,  crying,  "  Indians !  In- 
dians !     They  have  attacked  the  coach  !" 

In  vain  Vincent  tried  to  make  them  turn  back  to 
the  rescue.  They  were  panic-stricken  and  terrified, 
and  continued  to  urge  their  jaded  steeds. 

Our  trio  hastened  on.  They  gained  a  rising  piece 
of  ground  and  all  checked  simultaneously,  for  they 
beheld  the  enemy. 

It  was  growing  rapidly  light,  and  the  Indians  saw 
our  party  as  they  reached  an  eminence,  and  at  once 
the  wily  foe,  evidently  suspecting  the  presence  of  a 
larger  force,  sprang  upon  their  ponies  and  dashed 
into  the  bluffs  at  the  right  of  the  road.  An  instant 
only  the  white  men  paused,  and  again  urging  their 
animals  on,  thev  drew  rein  in  front  of  the  sta^re. 

The  horses  of  the  coach  were  nowhere  to  be  seen 
and  were  evidently  with  the  Indians,  and  the  pas- 
sengers, if  any,  either  killed  or  prisoners. 

Fifty  yards  up  the  road  lay  the  bodies  of  two 
cavalrymen,  stripped  of  clothing  and  scalped,  their 
tongues  cut  out,  and  other  portions  of  their  persons 
mutilated.  The  driver  of  the  coach  lay  under  the 
front  wheels,  where  he  had  crawled  in  the  last 
agonies  of  death  ;  his  head  had  been  crushed  by  a 
blow  from  a  tomahawk.  But  no  passengers  were  to 
be  seen. 

"  I  surely  saw  people  inside  the  coach  when  it 
passed,"  said  Fairleigh. 

"Ha!    look  there!"   quickly  ejaculated   Hallett, 


40  SHEKAKDOAH  ;    Oil,   THE  HORlZON^S  BAH. 

pointing  at  the  same  time  to  the  top  of  the  bluffs  on 
their  right. 

It  was  the  Indians. 

*'  Hasten  to  the  train.  These  red  devils  have  seen 
how  powerless  we  are  to  contend  with  them,  and 
have  returned  to  take  us,"  Hallett  continued. 

"  Fly !  fly  !  ere  it  is  too  late,"  said  Fairleigh,  put- 
ting the  words  at  once  into  effect  by  darting  into 
the  road  and  spurring  his  horse,  closely  followed  by 
Vincent  and  Hallett. 

Not  more  than  fortj  rods  they  rode  with  the  speed 
of  the  wind,  and  then  all  three  checked  up  their 
animals  so  suddenly,  that,  horseman  as  he  was, 
Fairleigh  was  hurled  from  his  saddle  into  the  road, 
but  instantly  remounted. 

"  As  i  live  they  have  cut  off  our  retreat !" 

Twenty  warriors  were  descending  into  the  road 
about  half  a  mile  below  them. 

"Back!  back  to  the  coach;  dismount  and  hold 
your  horses !"  shouted  the  wagon-master. 

In  a  second  the  little  party  were  behind  the  stage, 
each  with  a  rifle  in  hand  and  a  bridle-rein  over  his 
arm,  and  his  animal  behind  him. 

''  Do  you  think  we  will  be  able  to  keep  them  off 
until  the  train  comes?"  asked  Fairleigh  of  the 
wagon-master. 

"  I  have  but  one  fear,  and  that  is,  the  train  hearing 
our  shots  may  corral  at  once.  They  will  meet  the 
runaway  dragoons,  the  number  of  the  foe  will  be 
exaggerated,  and  our  friends  remain  behind  for  pru- 
dential reasons." 

"  Never !  In  that  train  are  brave  hearts  and  true 
men ;  old  soldiers  will  not  desert  their  comrades." 


SHENANDOAH  ;    OR,    THE    HORIZON'S   BAR.  41 

This  was  a  sunbeam,  but  Hallett  smiled  scorn- 
fully and  said :  "  Noble  hearts  may  be  restrained 
by  less  unselfish  men  in  that  train." 

Vincent  eyed  the  old  man  narrowly,  but  his  eyes 
were  fixed  upon  the  foe,  who  evidently  were  wait- 
ing for  the  attack  to  begin,  by  the  party  descending 
the  hill. 

*'  Rollin,"  said  Harry,  who  was  peering  under 
the  coach,  "  I  think  I  see  a  woman.  They  are  on 
the  hills  just  there ;  they  must  have  taken  her  from 
the  coach. 

*'  It  may  be  some  squaw  decked  out  in  stolen 
finery,"  returned  Hallett. 

"  Let  me  have  your  field-glasses,  Captain,"  said 
Fairleigh. 

*'  'Tis  a  white  woman." 

"  Heaven  help  her!  a  worse  fate  than  death  aw^aits 
her,"  said  Hallett,  solemnly.  Again  Fairleigh 
raised  the  glasses. 

*'  There  is  another  white  woman  ;  she  is  on  a  bay 
pony.  To  think  we  know  their  doom  and  cannot 
save  them  !" 

The  Indians  who  had  cut  off  the  retreat  were  now 
in  the  road.     They  halted  as  if  in  consultation. 

"  They  will  not  come  down  upon  us  in  a  body ; 
they  are  afraid  to  do  that :  for  although  certain  of 
overpowering  us,  they  would  run  a  risk  which  an 
Indian  will  not  take — that  of  losing  his  own  life. 
They  will  dash  past  us  in  single  file,  half  hid  by  their 
ponies,  and  fire  at  us  from  under  their  necks.  Aim 
at  their  ponies'  heads  and  you  may  hit  an  Indian. 
Shield  yourself  as  well  as  you  can  by  the  coach." 

The  parley  was  oyer.     Twentj^  Sioux   warriors 


42  SHENANDOAH  ;    OR,    THE   HORIZON'S   BAR. 

painted  and  feathered  were  about  to  dash  down 
upon  three  men  who  stood  resolutely  behind  the 
barricade,  determined  to  die  bravely,  if  at  all. 

Hallet  drew  Vincent  apace  from  his  friend,  and  in 
a  voice  entirely  free  from  Western  patois^  and  in  a 
whisper,  said: 

'-'■  If  I  fall  and  yoii  survive,  y  oil  will  find  in  my  chest  \ 
a  letter  with  your  name  upon  it'' 

Then  seizing  his  rifle  in  his  left  hand,  he  forced 
the  lock  back,  examined  the  cap,  and  as  he  bowed 
his  head  Vincent  saw  a  tear  upon  the  barrel.  With 
a  loud  whoop  the  Sioux  dashed  down  the  road, 
and  in  single  file,  as  the  wagon-master  had  predicted. 
When  within  good  rifle  range  the  chief  of  the  party 
suddenly  swung  around  from  his  saddle,  and  clasp- 
ing his  pony  around  the  neck  with  his  left  hand, 
holding  a  bow  in  it  at  the  same  time,  urged  his 
pony  on  to  almost  winged  speed  by  repeated  kicks 
with  the  left  heel,  which  pounded  the  flanks  of  the 
animial. 

As  the  savage  rode  past,  his  head  appeared  for  an 
instant  under  the  pony's  neck,  and  a  feathered  shaft 
was  adjusted,  aimed,  and  hurled  from  the  bow-string 
with  that  dexterity  and  strength  for  which  the 
North  American  Indian  bears  the  palm. 

The  arrow  struck  the  wagon-wheel  of  the  coach 
near  Fairleigh,  and  qujvered  like  a  reed  in  a  storm. 
Hallett,  who  had  fastened  the  animals  to  one  of  the 
wheels  of  the  coach,  had  taken  aim  at  the  savage,' 
and  simultaneously  with  the  "  twang"  of  the  bow- 
string came  the  crack  of  a  rifle.  The  pony  stum- 
bled and  went  down  in  the  dusty  road,  the  wily 
savage  still  managing  to  make  his  wounded  animal 


SHElTAlirDOAH  ;    OB,   THE  HORIZON'S  BAB.  43 

a  barricade.  In  an  instant  the  remainder  of  the 
band,  who  had  followed  close  behind,  discharged 
their  arms  as  they  rode,  each  warrior  yelping  as  he 
shot. 

In  the  rush  and  excitement  the  unhorsed  Indian 
escaped.  Twenty  arrows  were  in  and  about  the 
coach,  and  Fairleigh  alone  had  been  wounded.  An 
arrow  had  penetrated  his  right  arm.  Vincent  bound 
the  wound  with  a  handkerchief — Hallett  reloaded 
his  rifle. 

The  savages  again  held  consultation  in  the  road, 
about  as  far  removed  from  the  coach  on  the  left 
hand  as  they  had  been  before  the  charge  on  the 
right. 

There  seemed  to  be  an  animated  discussion  in 
progress  among  the  attacking  party ;  some  talked 
and  gestured  incessantly,  seemingly  in  an  angry 
manner.  Others,  evidently  young  braves,  pranced 
and  curvetted  their  ponies  in  short  circles  at  full 
speed,  practising  the  art  of  shooting  under  their 
necks,  and  all  shouting  and  gesticulating. 

Suddenly  the  noise  and  confusion  ceased.  Each 
Avarriorsat  erect  in  the  saddle,  and  the  Indian  whose 
dead  pony  lay  in  the  road  was  seen  to  ascend  the 
bluffs  rapidly  by  means  of  bushes  that  gave  him 
both  hand  and  foot-hold,  and  to  push  his  way  rapidly 
toward  the  larger  body  upon  the  bluffs.  Vincent 
and  Fairleigh  glanced  anxiously  down  the  road,  but 
not  a  sound  or  sign  of  relief  was  to  be  heard  or  seen. 

The  Indian  debate  now  seemed  carried  from  the 
road  to  the  bluffs,  and  it  was  terminated  when  about 
fifty  warriors  from  above  filed  to  the  right  and 
leisurely  descended  the  same  canvon  that  had  been 


44         sheka:n"doah  ;  or^  the  horizok's  bar. 

traversed  by  the  attacking  party  a  few  minutes 
before. 

"  What  can  they  mean  ?"  broke  forth  Fairleigh, 
anxiously. 

**  They  are  afraid  they  may  lose  some  of  their 
number  if  they  pursue  the  same  tactics  as  before, 
and  they  are  going  to  flank  us  and  attack  us  in  the 
rear. 

Leisurely  the  Indians  descended  the  hill  into  the 
canyon.  Just  then  a  wild  whoop  was  heard  upon 
the  bluff;  they  had  discovered  the  wagon-team 
making  its  slow  way  through  the  sands,  and  had 
caught  sight  of  a  party  of  horsemen  riding  far  in 
advance.  In  a  few  moments  they  had  swept  up  in 
a  cloud  of  dust,  while  the  savages  with  sharp  yelps 
and  cries  turned  into  the  bluffs,  disappearing  from 
view. 

**  Hurrah !  We  are  saved,"  cried  Harry,  who  ran 
out  to  meet  them. 

Hurried  exclamations  of  joy  and  interrogations 
followed. 

"  Gentlemen,*'  said  Vincent,  who  had  mounted  his 
horse  and  ridden  into  the  road,  '*  Comrades,"  he 
said,  with  inspiring  tone  and  manner,  "  with  those 
fiends  are  white  captives — women  too.  Shall  we 
leave  them  to  perish  ?" 

"  No,  no !"  came  from  the  brave  fellows.  Let  us 
^n  and  rescue  them." 


SHEKAN^DOAH  ;    OR^   THE  HORIZON'S  BAR.  45 


CHAPTER  V. 

"  Ask  me  not  what  maiden  feels 
Left  in  that  dreadful  hour  alone ; 
Perchance  her  reason  stoops  or  reels ; 
Perchance  a  courage  not  her  own 
Braces  her  mind  to  desperate  tone." — Scott. 

The  blooded  animals  of  Vincent  and  Fairleigh 
strained  in  the  lead,  and  old  Bet  sprang  like  a  huge 
goat  along  the  sandy  bluff-side,  urged  by  the  wagon- 
master. 

The  summit  was  gained  at  last,  and  the  riders 
drew  rein  and  surveyed  the  broken  country  before 
them. 

Far  as  the  eye  could  reach  was  a  succession  of 
bluffs,  canyons,  and  ravines ;  behind  the  hills  or  in 
the  passes  were  the  Indians  with  their  captives. 

No  living  thing  was  to  be  seen  in  front  of  them. 

Each  canyon — and  a  dozen  of  them  opened  from 
the  second  line  of  bluffs  a  quarter  of  a  mile  away — 
seemed  untenanted. 

The  trail  was  perfect,  and  following  closely  in  the 
foot-prints  on  the  sand  the  tired  steeds  descended 
the  hill  and  struggled  through  the  sandy  bed  of  the 
bottom. 

Ere  they  had  gained  the  valley  beyond,  Fairleigh, 
who  was  far  in  advance,  rose  in  his  stirrups  and, 
swinging  his  cap,  sang  out.  "  Hurrah  !  there  they 
are." 

The  Indians  had  paused  at  the  third  line  of  bluffs, 


46  SHENANDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZON'S  BAR. 

and  were  resting  before  they  made  the  ascent,  for 
their  ponies  were  blown  and  panting. 

They  evidently  believed  that  the  pursuit  had 
been  abandoned. 

The  valley,  extending  to  the  foot  of  the  bluffs, 
had  a  hard,  dry,  alkaline  bottom,  and  over  its  level 
crust  the  iron  hoofs  of  the  cavalrymen  were  speed- 
ing. 

Foam  streaked  the  sides  of  the  panting  animals, 
which  felt  the  bit  only  w^hen  the  bluffs  towered 
above  them. 

The  Indian  ponies  were  well  nigh  exhausted. 

They  stumbled  often  as  they  toiled  up  the  hill, 
and  each  warrior  had  dismounted  and  urged  his 
tired  animal  on. 

When  they  saw  the  avengers  close  behind  them, 
the  savages  at  once,  by  voice,  lash,  and  spear-point, 
forced  their  tough  little  ponies  up  the  sandy  path. 

The  captives  were  bound  and  in  the  advance. 
The  pursuing  horsemen  sprang  from  their  saddles 
when  they  reached  the  bluffs,  and  resorted  to  the 
devices  of  the  pursued.  The  burdened  ponies  were 
disappearing  from  the  edge  of  the  cliff  when  the 
pursuers  were  half  way  up  the  hill. 

What  lay  beyond  that  summit,  the  horsemen 
knew  not. 

If  another  line  of  bluffs  were  close  at  hand,  the 
chase  would  have  to  be  abandoned  ;  for  the  wiry  lit- 
tle ponies  were  more  than  a  match  for  the  horses 
in  climbing  the  miniature  mountain-sides. 

A  long  stretch  of  level  country,  on  the  other  hand, 
would  certainly  give  the  horsemen  a  victory,  for 
on  the  level  ground  the  horses  had  the  advantage. 


shenaxdoah;  or,  the  horizon's  bar.         47 

r 

The  hiL  was  gained  at  last,  and  before  them  was 
a  level  plateau  fully  three  miles  wide,- 

The  prospect  cheered  the  rescuers,  from  whose 
lips  a  shout  of  pleasure  came. 

Only  a  half  mile  now  lay  between  pursuer  and 
pursued. 

The  jaded  Indian  ponies  stumbled  on ;  their  sides 
were  marked  with  dirt  and  blood,  and  they  smarted 
under  lash  and  spear-point. 

The  *'  soldier  boys  "  were  down  upon  them  in  a 
twinkling,  and  the  foemen  turned  with  a  yell  of  rage 
to  meet  the  attack. 

A  close  hand-to-hand  fight  ensued,  in  which  pis- 
tol, knife,  and  tomahawk  played  rapid  and  frequent 
part. 

Vincent  had  engaged  a  warrior  across  whose  sad- 
dle lay  the  fainting  form  of  a  female  captive. 

The  first  shot  of  his  revolver  had  missed  its  mark, 
and  a  tomahawk  handle  struck  the  captain  in  the 
breast  with  such  stunning  force  that  it  unhorsed 
him. 

Ere  be  could  recover  and  again  take  aim,  Vin- 
cent saw  that  the  wily  savage  had  raised  in  his 
arms  the  unconscious  form  of  his  captive,  and  was 
holding  the  pale-faced  girl  before  him  as  his  shield. 

Behind  him  Vincent  heard  a  low  cry  of  pain,  and 
Fairleigh  and  an  Indian  were  in  a  death  struggle 
on  the  ground. 

Vincent  was  spell-bound.  * 

To  leave  his  antagonist  was  almost  certain  death 
to  him,  and  not  to  aid  his  friend  flashed  across  his 
mind  as  a  crime,  while  all  about  him  a  terrible  fight 
was  raging. 


48  SHEN'AKDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZOJ^f'S  BAR. 

Just  then  came  the  sharp  crack  of  a  pistol,  and 
Indian  and  captive  fell  from  the  saddle  together,  as 
Hallett  rode  up  on  his  mule,  his  pistol  still  smoking 
in  his  hand. 

Vincent  sprang  from  his  horse  and  strode  to- 
ward his  friend. 

Scattered  over  the  plain  were  the  dead  and  dy- 
ing, and  many  savages  were  still  retreating,  followed 
the  victorious  horsemen. 

Vincent  reached  the  spot  where  lay  his  friend  in 
the  strong  embrace  of  the  savage,  who  was  beneath 
him. 

They  had  locked  arms  as  foemen,  and  the  warrior 
had  gone  down,  the  soldier  faUing  upon  him. 

Fairleio^h  had  entered  the  fray  with  an  arm 
wounded  early  in  the  struggle,  but  in  the  death 
grapple  its  pain  was  forgotten,  and  he  lay  within 
the  arms  of  the  foe  breathless  but  unharmed. 

His  knife  was  in  the  side  of  the  savage,  and  on 
the  blade,  and  out  upon  the  ground,  a  crimson  tide 
was  flowing. 

Vincent  assisted  his  friend  to  a  recumbent  posi- 
tion, placed  his  canteen  to  his  lips,  then  dashed 
some  of  its  contents  in  his  face. 

The  draught  seemed  to  restore  the  bewildered 
man,  and  he  opened  his  eyes  and  said : 

"  Nellie,  Nellie,  I  saw  her." 

Eaton  now  slowly  advanced  bearing  in  his  arms 
a  lovely  but  unconscious  form. 

Behind  them  came  the  young  men,  leading  their 
animals,  as  well  as  a  number  of  ponies  captured  in 
the  fray. 


SHEKi-KBOAH  ;    OH,   THE  HOEIZOK^S  BAR.  49 

Fairleigh  at  once  saw  the  face  of  his  sister,  and 
springing  lightly  to  his  feet,  was  at  her  side. 

Eaton  gently  laid  his  fair  burden  on  a  couch 
made  hurriedly  of  saddles  and  buffalo  robes  found 
upon  the  Indian  ponies. 

"  Nellie,  Nellie  !  don't  j^ou  know  me?"  cried  Fair- 
leigh, chafing  the  cold  hands  wuthin  his  own. 

Her  eyelids  opened,  and  with  a  scream  of  de- 
light she  folded  her  arms  about  her  brother's  neck. 

Hallett  turned  to  Meredith,  who  stood  near,  to 
say  something,  but  choked  and  coughed,  and  found 
positive  relief  in  fastening  Bet's  saddle-girths  so 
tiofht  that  the  animal  snorted,  reared  and  kicked  a 
pony  behind  her. 

Eaton,  who  had  stood  intently  watching  the  scene, 
put  on  his  eye-glasses,  stroked  his  whiskers,  bit  his 
lip,  and  murmured, 

"  Romantic — positively — " 

''  Where  is  Kate?"  cried  Miss  Fairleigh,  suddenly 
remembering  that  her  cousin  was  not  of  the  number 
who  were  prese^it — '*  Here  is  some  one  coming  this 
way  1"  cried  Meredith  looking  forward  toward  the 
bluffs. 

All  eyes  were  turned  in  the  direction  indicated, 
and  three  gentlemen  leading  their  horses  approached 
the  group.  All  were  interested  in  holding  securely 
upon  the  back  of  a  pony,  a  young  lady,  who  ap- 
peared to  be  in  a  high  state  of  excitement, 

Eaton,  Churchill,  and  Dunscombe,  who  had  res- 
cued Miss  Kate  Ferris  from  the  savages,  seemed 
deeply  interested  in  their  prize  j  the  three  assisted 
the  young  lady  to  dismount. 

To  ihrow  herself  into  her  cousin's  arms  was  the 


50  SHEKANDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HOKIZON^S  BAH. 

very  womanly  thing  to  do,  and  the  heartless 
monsters,  the  men,  stood  round  gazing  on  the 
emotions  of  two  lovely  young  women,  without  even 
offering  to  walk  away. 

Some  one  now  proposed  to  return  to  camp. 

Ere  the  return  march  began,  Fairleigh  introduced 
his  sister  and  cousin  to  their  rescuers. 

When  he  presented  Hallett  he  said  : 

''  Nellie,  this  is  the  gentleman  to  whom  you  owe 
your  life. 

The  young  lady  possessed  beautiful  blue  eyes. 
She  opened  them  very  wide  and  reached  forth  a 
pretty  hand  to  the  wagon-master,  who  touched  it 
very  lightly,  as  if  he  might  break  it  if  by  chance 
he  should  hold  it  within  his  own,  saying: 

"  No,  no  Miss,  I  cannot  claim  that  honor.  It  was 
Captain  Vincent  here,  who  settled  your  captor,  and 
who  would  have  rescued  you  without  my  aid." 

"The  honor  belongs  to  Mr.  Hallett,  Miss  Fair- 
leigh," said  Vincent,  "  I  was  powerless  to  do  you 
good,  when  he  rode  up." 

"  Well,  we  won't  quarrel  about  it,"  returned  the 
wagon-master. 

"  Only  you  forgot  what  I  told  you  early  in  the 
day." 

"And  that  was?" 

"  Ahvays  brin^  down  the  pony  when  the  Indian  is 
hid  by  it.'' 

"  I  will  remember  next  time,"  was  the  reply. 

The  return  to  camp  now  began.  Miss  Fairleigh 
was  mounted  on  a  pony  led  by  her  brother,  while 
to  Miss  Ferris. was  given  an  impromptu  palanquin 
on  Hallett's  mule,  and  attended  by  her  three   de- 


^      SHEKANDOAH  ;    OR,    THE   HORIZON'S   BAR.  5l 

voted  slaves.  *'  Don't  be  afraid  of  her.  Miss,",  said 
the  wagon-master,  '*  she  is  as  gentle  as  a  kitten,  and 
as  sure-footed  as  a  goat,  that  mule." 

Miss  Ferris  received  the  attention  of  her  captives, 
Eaton,  Churchill,  and  Dunscombe.  Hallett,  who 
led  the  animal,  never  venturing  to  join  in  the  con- 
versation, but  hearing,  with  ears  long  unused,  the 
polite  gallantry  of  the  town. 

The  appearance  of  the  young  ladies  worked  a 
great  change  in  the  camp. 

At  a  stage  station  on  the  road  where  the  supplies 
were  of  variety  pattern,  the  proprietor  found  ready 
sale  for  the  commonest  bar  soaps  and  perfumes,  and 
there  was  a  spirited  bidding  over  a  comb  whose 
teeth  were  like  the  verbs  "  regular,  irregular,  and 
defective." 

A  table-cloth  was  made  into  towelling  ;  and  many 
■of  the  members  made  picturesque  and  elaborate 
toilettes  in  the  morning,  and  even  the  teamsters 
washed  their  faces  now  and  then. 

From  his  sister,  Harry  Fairleigh  learned  that 
their  father  desiring  to  settle  an  old  claim  at  Fort 
Kearney  with  the  settler,  stationed  there  and  believ- 
ing in  effecting  this  he  might  possibly  be  detained 
two  or  three  days,  and  discerning  that  the  ladies 
would  prefer  remaining  that  time  in  Atchison, 
Kansas,  where  the  stage  coach  started  at  which 
point  they  had  relatives  with  whom  they  were 
visiting,  rather  than  accept  the  plainer  fare  of  the 
frontier  town  near  the  fort,  he  had  proceeded  in 
advance  of  his  daughter  and  niece,  with  the  under- 
standing that  they  should  follow  him  after  two 
days. 


52         shenaKdoah;  or,  the  horizon^s  bar. 

No  rumors  of  Indian  troubles  had  reached  Atchi- 
son. 

The  road  from  that  point  was  believed  to  be  per- 
fectly safe  for  travellers,  and  the  agent  thus  assuring 
Mr.  Fairleigh,  and  adding  that  the  ladies  would  be 
in  charge  of  one  of  the  most  faithful  drivers,  Mr. 
Fairleigh,  not  without  misgivings,  bade  them  adieu. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

ON  THE  WAR-PATH. 

The  Indian  raids  in  the  summer  of  1865  were 
everywhere  disastrous  to  the  whites.  The  Arapa- 
hoes,  Comanches,  Cheyennes,  Kiowas,  and  that 
powerful  tribe,  the  Sioux,  who  had  heretofore 
warred  only  against  each  other,  banded  together  in 
amitv,  buried  the  tomahawk  as  agamst  each  other, 
and  with  impressive  ceremony  uplifted  their  hands 
to  the  Great  Spirit,  vowed  to  be  at  peace  with  each 
other,  and  drive  the  paleface  from  the  prairie. 

The  Sioux  braves  at  once  started  on  a  raid.  With 
fifteen  hundred  warriors  they  left  the  Black  Hills, 
where  the  compact  had  been  made,  and  moving 
southward,  crossed  the  main  lines  of  travel.  Their 
ponies  were  fresh  and  strong,  and  the  braves  the 
fiercest  of  their  tribe.  They  crossed  the  Platte  at 
Beaver  Creek,  attacked  a  long  tram  encamped  near 
the  river,  and  so  fierce  was  the  onset  and  complete 
the  surprise,  that  the  people  of  the  train  had  barely 
escaped  general  slaughter.     They  were  driven  from 


SHEXAKDOAn;    OR,  THE   HORIZOIT's  BAR.  53 

behind  their  wagons  to  a  ruined  ranch  near  at  hand, 
where  for  two  days  they  held  the  savages  in 
check. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  second  day  the  raiders  re- 
tired, laden  with  the  plunder  taken  from  the  wagon- 
train,  and  driving  before  them  over  one  hundred 
horses  and  mules.  Prior  to  retiring,  with  a  deter- 
mination to  make  their  attack  complete  and  ruinous, 
they  drew  the  wagons  together,  applied  a  torch  to 
them,  and  sat  upon  their  ponies  and  watched  the  con- 
flagration with  great  glee. 

Again  moving  in  a  southerly  direction,  they  en- 
tered the  region  of  the  Little  Blue  River.  Two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  warriors  raided  toward  Marysville, 
burning  and  destroying  every  ranch  on  their  way. 
The  other  force  continued  the  southerly  course 
toward  the  new  line  of  passenger  travel  by  the  way 
of  Smoky  Hills. 

The  Army  of  the  Plains  was  scattered  over  a  wide 
territory,  and  both  bands  of  Indians  rode  on  un- 
checked by  the  handful  of  regular  soldiery  upon  the 
plains. 

General  Patrick  Connor,  an  old  frontiersman,  was 
moving  in  a  northwesterly  direction  with  a  large 
force  at  his  command,  among  whom  was  a  company 
of  Pawnee  Indians,  mustered  in  as  United  States 
cavalrymen,  who  were  to  act  as  scouts  or  frontiers- 
men under  Major  North. 

Near  Powder  River  the  column  came  upon  an  In- 
dian village,  and  here  a  fierce  battle  took  place  in 
which  the  savages  were  badly  Avorsted,  and  they  re- 
tired, leaving  over  two  hundred  dead  and  wounded 
upon  the  prairie. 


54  SHENANDOAH  ;    OK,   THE  HOKIZON^S  BAR. 

The  soldiers  captured  more  than  four  hundred 
ponies,  and  retired  from  the  scene  in  the  glare  of 
blazing  wigwams. 

Winter  set  in  before  the  column  began  its  retiring 
march,  and  many  soldiers  perished  from  exposure. 
The  experiment  did  not  pay.  Detachments  of 
Minnesota  volunteer  cavalry  regiments  guarded 
posts  along  the  South  Platte,  and  the  Fifth  United 
States  Infantry  held  the  road  running  from  the 
Smoky  Hills  on  the  south  to  Cottonwood  Springs 
on  the  north.  This  was  probably  the  only  road  run- 
ning north  and  south  that  was  open  for  travel  dur- 
ing the  summer. 

By  a  w^ise  order  of  the  general  commanding  the 
department,  dangerous  roads  were  closed,  and  even 
upon  lines  guarded  by  soldiery,  wagon-trains  were 
halted  until  a  force  of  one  hundred  men  was  ob- 
tained ;  and  these,  if  well  armed,  w^ere  allow^ed  to 
pass  on. 

The  Sioux  advanced  eastward  and  to  the  very 
edge  of  civilization.  They  came  upon  Marysville, 
killing  and  scalping  all  who  chanced  in  the  way. 
Behind  them  were  blackened  ranches  and  the  ruins 
of  wagon-trains. 

One  ranch  alone,  that  of  I.  Silk,  near  Marysville, 
remained  untouched  ;  and  why  this  particular  place 
was  spared  no  one  could  tell.  A  detachment  of 
soldiers  on  their  way  to  Fort  Kearney  from  Leaven- 
worth was  attacked  by  the  Indians  at  Lone  Tree,  and 
night  alone  saved  them,  so  resistless  was  the  at- 
tack. 

Telegraph  lines  lay  in  the  dust.  Wagon-trains 
corralled  in  terror.    Confusion  and  fear  from  exag- 


SHENANDOAS  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZOK^S  BAR.  55 

gerated  reports  and  rumors  almost  paralyzed  the 
whites  upon  the  frontier.  The  soldiers  encamped 
under  the  guns  of  Fort  Sedgwick  at  Jnlesburg  had 
been  driven  in  the  stockade,  such  was  the  daring 
and  skill  of  the  connected  movement  of  the  summer 
of  1865. 

The  wagon-master  moved  his  train  with  great 
caution.  The  horses  were  picketed  at  night  near 
the  wagons.  Saddles  and  bridles  were  close  at 
hand.  The  camp  guard  was  doubled,  and  three 
drivers  went  out  each  night  with  the  herd. 

During  the  day  the  wagons  were  driven  two 
abreast,  so  that  in  the  event  of  an  attack  a  barricade 
would  be  ready  by  swinging  in  the  animals  to  the 
centre.  The  members,  with  rifles  slung,  were  under 
the  immediate  command  of  the  wagon-master. 
By  his  orders  they  acted  as  scouts  and  flankers. 
The  drivers  were  ordered  to  have  their  arms  ready 
and  to  wheel  their  animals  to  the  centre  at  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  enemy,  thus  forming  a  barricade 
as  heretofore  stated.  An  inspection  of  arms  took 
place  immediately  after  breakfast  every  day  ;  Eaton 
and  Meredith,  acting  as  inspectors,  carefully  ex- 
amined every  fire-arm  in  the  train. 

For  three  days  they  moved  on,  nothing  to  be  seen 
save  ruined  ranches.  At  that  of  I.  Silk,  before  men- 
tioned, a  halt  was  made  and  corn  bought  for  the 
animals. 

The  proprietor  seemed  very  voluble  in  regard  to 
Indian  news,  and  Hallett  said  significantly,  within 
the  hearing  of  the  proprietor,  *'  If  it  wasn't  for 
d — d  white  scoundrels  that  were  with  them  there 
wouldn't  be  so  much  Injun  deviltry." 


5(j  SHEKAKDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZON'S  BAR. 

An  important  bit  of  news  was  obtained  at  the 
ranch,  however.  "  Important  if  true"  as  the  news- 
papers have  it. 

''  A  large  body  of  cavalrymen  were  on  their  way 
from  Leavenworth  to  Fort  Kearney."  How  the 
proprietor  obtained  this  intelligence,  he  did  not  state. 
The  members  aired  their  opinions  when  once  more  in 
the  saddle.  The  next  day  they  corralled  towards 
evening  beyond  the  road.  Later  on,  when  night 
came,  Chandler,  who  was  one  of  the  guard,  awoke 
the  wagon-master  hurriedly,  saying  that  he  "saw 
something." 

The  old  man  rolled  from  his  hammock,  seized  his 
rifle,  and  followed  the  guard  to  the  road-side. 

"  Now  watch  the  bluffs,"  said  Chandler,  pointing 
to  the  black  ridge  a  mile  away,  visible  even  in  the 
darkness  of  the  night. 

It  was  midnight  and  quite  dark,  but  even  in  the 
gloom  the  red,  sandy  side  of  the  bluffs  could  be  dis- 
cerned.    A  long  time  they  waited  in  silence. 

Hallett  was  about  to  return  to  his  hammock. 
*'  Aha  !  there  it  is  again,"  said  Chandler. 

A  light  upon  the  bluffs  appeared.  It  seemed  as  if 
a  bundle  of  straw  had  been  held  in  the  hand  lighted, 
and  then,  while  blazing,  tossed  in  the  air. 

"  It  is  a  signal,"  said  the  wagon-master  in  a 
hoarse  whisper. 

A  step — it  was  Churchill,  also  on  guard. 

"Did  you  see  that  light?" 

"  Yes  ;  watch  the  other  line  of  bluffs." 

They  faced  the  bluffs  on  the  right  of  the  road,  and, 
as  they  turned,  saw  the  same  signal  given  from  that 
side. 


SHENANDOAH  ;    OR,    THE   HORIZON'S  BAR.  5T 

**  We  are  surrounded,"  said  Hallett,  hurrying  back 
to  the  corrall. 

**  What  shall  we  do  ? "  inquired  Churchill  anx- 
iously. 

*'  One  thing  is  certain,  we  will  not  be  attacked 
while  it  is  dark.  I  wonder  if  the  herders  have  seen 
those  lights  ?  " 

Without  waiting  for  a  reply,  the  old  man  walked 
briskly  toward  the  herd.  When  within  two  hun- 
dred feet  of  the  nearest  mule  he  gave  a  low  and  pe- 
culiar whistle,  the  notes  of  a  mother-bird  calling 
the  young  quail.     The  whistle  or  call  was  answered. 

"  Mr.  Hallett,"  said  a  voice  from  the  grass. 

**  I  am  all  right,"  returned  the  wagon-master. 

"  What's  up  ?  " 

"  I  think  you  had  better  bring  in  the  herd." 

**  O.  K.;  you  seed  the  signal  lights  ?  Deviltry  as 
big  as  a  woodchuck  is  on  hand." 

The  old  man  strode  hurriedly  back  to  camp,  and 
prepared  for  the  enemy.  Each  member  was  at  his 
post. 

The  signal  lights  appeared  again  upon  the  bluffs, 
and  then  all  was  dark. 

A  long,  unbroken  silence.  A  faint,  grayish  streak 
in  the  east.     Day  was  breaking. 

"  This  is  the  dangerous  hour,"  said  Hallett  to 
Fairleigh.     '*  It  is  the  Indian's  favorite  time." 

9 


58  8HENAXD0AH  ;    CE^   THE  HORIZON'S  BAR, 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THY  NAME  AND  PURPOSE  SAXON.   STAND  ! 

It  was  very  dark. 

The  horses  and  mules  were  safe  in  the  corral,  and 
quietly  fed  at  the  wagon  troughs,  or  rested  their 
tired  limbs  on  the  ground. 

Vincent,  Fairleigh,  and  Hallett  stood  near  the 
last  wagon  of  the  corral,  anxiously  waiting  day- 
break, and  each  with  a  rifle  in  his  hand. 

A  low  rumbling  sound  far  down  the  road,  toward 
the  eastern  gray  streak  in  the  horizon,  and  then  was 
plainly  heard  the  trampling  of  iron  hoofs;  nearer 
and  nearer  came  the  sounds — a  halt — and  then  on 
the  still  air  the  clear  swelling  notes  of  a  bugle. 

"  A  cavalry  call ;  they  must  be  friends,"  said 
Harry. 

"Softly,  softly,"  returned  the  wagon  -  master. 
"  Last  year,  when  the  red  skins  attacked  the  stage 
stations  at  Alkali,  they  charged,  and  retreated  at 
the  sound  of  a  bugle,  do  not  let  us  be  thrown  off 
our  guard." 

In  the  haze  of  the  morning  shadowy  forms  ap- 
pear. 

•*  Halt!"  challenges  Chandler  in  the  road. 

*'  Friends  and  white  men  wid  divil  a  countersign," 
replied  a  clear  voice,  at  once  recognized  with  tu- 
multuous beatings  of  hearts  by  ever}^  soldier  mem- 
ber of  the  train. 

**  Then    dismount    friends    and    whites,    Terry 


SHEXANDOAH  ;    OK,    THE   HORIZOi^'S  BAE.  59 

McCann  and  give  an  account  of  yourself,  dragoon- 
ing around  this  time  o'  night  widout  the  counter- 
sign." 

"It  is  Terry  McCann,"  shouted  Eaton,  as  he 
rushed  to  the  dragoon's  side,  followed  by  a  throno- 
who  fairly  lifted  McCann  from  his  saddle,  and  bore 
him  on  their  shoulder  to  the  centre  of  the  corral. 

The  danger  of  an  Indian  attack  was  over  now ; 
joy  beamed  on  every  feature.  The  lieutenant  was 
en  route  to  Fort  Kearney,  and  learning  at  Marys- 
ville  that  the  mining  company  was  but  a  few  miles 
ahead  of  him,  he  had  pushed  on  to  join  them. 

Morning  dawned;  and  it  was  resolved  to  wait 
until  nine  o'clock  to  give  the  cavalry  horses  time 
to  feed  and  rest. 

A  jolly  breakfast. 

The  lieutenant  was  introduced  to  the  young 
ladies,  who  gladly  hailed  him  as  their  ''  second  pre- 
server." 

"  I  heard  of  you,"  said  the  dragoon.  "  The  mail 
agent  at  Marysville  informed  me  that  there  were 
two  young  ladies  in  the  last  coach,  he  was  afraid 
that  you  would  be  attacked  so  we  rode  by  night  to 
catch  up  with  you." 

"Nine  o'clock,"  said  the  wagon-master. 

"  Sound  the  bugle,  orderly." 

The  young  men  of  the  mining  company  acted  as 
scouts,  and  moved  in  advance  of  the  train.  The 
cavalry  men  flanked  the  train  and  brought  up  in 
the  rear.  Placing  his  command  in  charge  of  a 
sergeant,  McCann  touched  his  horse  with  the  spur 
and  was  soon  at  Vincent's  side. 

They  had  now  passed  the  region  of  forest  and 


60  SHENANDOAH  ;    OR,    THE   HORIUON'S  BAR. 

bluff,  and  were   once  more  on   the   wide   prairie. 
Full  of  life  and  vigor  they  dashed  over  the  waving 

grass. 

The  night  had  passed,  joy  came  with  the  morn- 
ing, and  as  their  horses  bounded  along  light  hearts 
were  above  them. 

A  short  halt  at  noon,  and  at  night  they  encamped 
beside  a  stream  which  ran  northerly  and  emptied 
into  the  La  Platte.  The  horses  of  the  dragoons,  as 
well  as  those  of  the  members  were  picketed  near 
the  wagons.  A  roaring  blazing  camp  fire  ;  and  the 
young  ladies  graced  the  circle  with  their  presence, 
and  song  and'story  filled  up  the  evening  hours. 

Many  stories  of  army  life  were  then  related,  and 
at  a  late  hour  the  camp  was  deserted. 

That  night  the  people  of  the  train  slept  peace- 
fully and  securely,  for  ere  their  eyes  closed  they 
heard  the  pleasant  sound  of  the  cavalryman's 
scabbard  as  it  trailed  on  the  ground  when  he 
moved  about  the  wagons  while  on  guard. 

*'  Do  you  see  that  faint  yellowish  streak  that  lies 
far  ahead  of  us,  resembling  a  cloud  in  the  sky  ?" 
said  Hallett,  as  the  train  moved  onward  the  next 
morning. 

"Yes,"  replied  Vincent,  "  It  is  a  cloud,  is  it  not?" 

"  No ;  it  is  the  sand  hills  of  the  Platte  river.  It 
does  not  look  as  if  it  was  more  than  two  or  three 
miles  distant,  but  we  will  hardly  reach  the  hills 
before  night.  I  think  we  will  camp  two  or  three 
miles  this  side  of  the  river,  the  grass  is  good  and 

high." 

*'  I  should  think  the  sand  hills  would  make  good 
hiding  places  for  the  Indians." 


SHEl^AKDOAH  ;    OE,    THE   HOEIZON^S  BAR.  61 

^'  True,  but  they  are  too  near  Fort  Kearney.  Its 
not  very  dangerous  travelling  here." 

"  The  hills  seem  very  near." 

"  Distance  is  very  deceiving  upon  the  plains," 
continued  the  old  man.  "  When  you  first  see  the 
B-Ocky  Mountains  you  are  full  two  hundred  miles 
away,  almost  to  Beaver  Creek,  and  on  fine  days  they 
seem  within  a  da3^'s  ride  yet  it  takes  you  weeks  to 
get  to  them  with  a  train;  it  is  hard  wheeling  in 
the  sand  hills.  If  we  have  good  fortune  I  will  show 
you  the  trees  on  the  north  side  of  the  Platte  to- 
morrow evening. 

Our  hero  had  tried  in  vain  to  find  an  opportunity 
to  speak  to  the  wagon-master  upon  questions  neai- 
his  heart.  That  he  knew  more  in  regard  to  livja. 
than  he  seemed  to  show  by  his  manner  Vince^^.t 
felt  certain. 

The  young  men  were  racing  across  the  praine, 
and  Vincent  and  the  wagon-master  were  alovc  ne-^r 
the  train.  ''  Now,"  said  Vincent  to  himself,  "  is  the 
time  to  speak." 

Evidently  the  old  man  was  thinking  of  Ch'^  '^^^me 
thing,  for  he  turned  in  his  saddle  and  said, 

''  When  all  is  quiet  in  the  camp  to-nighl  I  wish 
to  see  3^ou — alone." 

About  sundown  they  corralled  near  the  hfl?s,  and 
when  the  evening  meal  was  over  they  giithered 
near  the  camp  fire.  "  Rollin,"  said  Ha.rry,  as  the 
former  lit  his  pipe  by  the  fire,  "  let  us  go  over  to 
the  girls'  wagon  and  invite  them  to  join  the  biv- 
ouac." 

"  Agreed," 


62  SHEl^AN'DOAH  ;    OR^    THE   HORIZON'S   BAR. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

LOVE   RULES  THE  CAMP,   THE    COURT,  THE    GROVE. 

The  young  ladies  had  managed  to  arrange  their 
"  drawing-room  car/'  as  they  styled  their  convey- 
ance, with  some  degree  of  comfort.  It  was  the 
largest  wagon  in  the  train,  and  with  blankets,  buffalo 
robes,  and  shawls  they  made  it  look  quite  cosy.  A 
lantern  belonging  to  the  company  had  been  loaned 
them,  and  it  hung  by  a  cord  from  the  centre  wagon- 
bow  and  cast  a  cheerful  glare  upon  the  two  maidens, 
who  sat  sewing  as  our  friends  came  up. 

*'  Helloa!  Kate  and  Nell,  make  room  for  us,"  said 
Harry. 

Miss  Fairleigh  blushed  as  she  returned  Vincent's 
"good  evening." 

But  Kate  was  ready.  "  Plenty  of  room  inside, 
gentlemen,"  mimicking  the  Broadway  stage  drivers. 

*'  Let  us  return,"  whispered  Vincent,  who  feared 
that  the  young  ladies  might  dislike  at  such  a  time 
and  place  the  presence  of  a  stranger,  for  he  felt  that 
he  was  one. 

"  No,  do  not  go,  Mr.  Vincent,"  said  Nellie,  rally- 
ing, "  I  am  sure  we  are  very  lonesome  and  you  will 
excuse  our  poor  quarters. 

"  Certainly  ;  the  war  and  chase  give  little  thought 
of  resting-place." 

"  There,"  said  Kate,  "  I  have  folded  a  blanket 
ypon  my  trunk,  and  Cousin  Mustache  you  can  git 


SHENANDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZON  S  BAR.  63 

ye  down  upon  it.  Captain  Vincent  will  sit  beside 
you." 

The  young  men  took  the  proffered  seat. 

'*  I  have  fine  work  for  you,  Harry,"  cried  Kate. 

'^  What  is  it?" 

''  Oh,  hold  some  worsted  for  me." 

*'  I  went  to  the  war  to  get  rid  of  you,  and  now 
you  carry  the  war  not  into  Africa  but  away  out 
upon  the  plains  ;  you  are  the  same  old  bother." 

"  You  haven't  changed  a  great  deal,  Harry." 

''  Don't  quarrel,"  from  Miss  Fairleigh. 

''  Well,  I  won't ;  but  here  is  Vincent  idle  ;  muster 
him  in,  he  is  both  strong  and  able-bodied." 

"  Strong  enough  to  hold  some  worsted  for  me  as 
I  wind  it  ?  "  asked  Nellie. 

"  Yes,  and  willing  too,"  said  Vincent. 

There  were  the  daughters  of  affluence  far  out  upon 
the  plains  in  the  heavy  freight- wagon  of  the  *'  plain- 
er." Fairleigh  sat  upon  the  side  of  the  trunk,  hold- 
ing on  his  hands  the  worsted  and  facing  his  cousin, 
while  RoUin  also  made  a  reel  of  his  fingers  for  Miss 
Fairleigh. 

"You  haven't  asked  after  your  pony.  Miss  Fair- 
leigh," said  Rollin. 

''My  little  Indian;  is  he  well?  what  do  you  do 
with  him?" 

"  I  have  tied  him  to  one  of  the  wagons  while  we 
are  on  the  march." 

"  Hold  up  your  hands,  stupid  Harry,  I  shall 
have  to  box  your  ears." 

''  Kathei-ine,  I  shall  kiss  thee  if  thou  dost." 

"  The  wagon-master  says  we  will  reach  Fort 
Kearney  day  after  to-morrow,"  said  Rollin, 


64  SHENANDOAH  ;    OR,    THE   HORIZON^S  BAR. 

"  I  am  very  glad  ;  father  must  be  alarmed  about 
us;  I  suppose  he  is  there  now." 

You  don't  know  whether  you  will  go  to  Denver 
now  or  not,  do  you,  Nell  ?  "  said  Harry. 

"  I  shall  do  as  father  wishes  in  regard  to  that ;  I 
am  not  afraid  to  go  on."  Vincent  looked  at  her  as 
she  spoke,  and  came  to  the  conclusion  she  was  a 
brave  little  maiden. 

"  If  we  only  had  a  side-saddle  now  for  your  pony, 
Nell,  you  could  relieve  the  monotony  by  taking 
a  ride  to-morrow,"  said  her  brother. 

"Why  the  way  Mr.  Hallett  fixed  the  saddle  was 
very  good." 

"  I  will  bring  the  pony  up  to-morrow  morning 
after  breakfast  and  improvise  a  saddle  for  3'ou. 
Won't  we,  RoUin  ?  " 

"  I  think  Miss  Fairleigh  would  prefer  to  ride,  and 
the  pony  is  sure-footed." 

The  evening  passed  pleasantly  away  inside  the 
wagon,  and  the  camp  was  silent  when  the  young 
men  started  for  their  tent. 

As  they  crossed  through  the  corral,  the  wagon  of 
the  young  ladies  being  drawn  near  the  mouth  of 
the  park  or  corral,  a  dark  figure  crossed  before  them. 

"  Who  goes  there  ?  "  said  Vincent,  quickly. 

"  The  wagon-master,"  rephed  Hallett,  advancing. 

"  Anything  stirring  ?"'  inquired  Fairleigh,  as  the 
old  man  came  up. 

"  Nothing  but  ourselves  ;  I  sleep  but  little  during 
the  night.     I  am  going  out  to  the  herd  now." 

*'  I  do  not  feel  like  sleeping  for  an  hour  to  come, 
Harry.  Let  us  go  to  the  herd  with  him,"  saicj 
Vincent, 


go. 


SSi!NAi5"i)0Afi:  ;    OR,   I^HE  HORIZOi^^S  BAR.  65 

I  am  both  sleepy  and  tired,  Captain,  yet  I  will 


'^  No,"  said  the  wagon-master,  "  let  Mr.  Vin- 
cent come  alone." 

"  All  right;  I  won't  be  jealous,"  remarked  Harry, 
as  he  turned  toward  his  tent. 

The  old  man  and  our  hero  passed  beyond  the 
wagons.  In  the  darkness  of  the  night  the  herd  was 
nowhere  to  be  seen,  yet  plainly  could  be  heard  the 
stamping  of  the  feet  and  the  occasional  snort,  which 
told  that  the  animals  were  not  far  away. 

**  I  am  glad  your  friend  did  not  come,  though  he 
is  a  noble  fellow  and  I  like  to  have  him  near  me ; 
yet  to-night  I  wanted  to  talk  with  you  alone."  They 
reached  a  little  mound  and  both  sat  down. 

*'  This  mound  is  a  soldier's  grave,"  said  the  old 
man,  slowly.  ''  Three  years  ago  a  band  of  Sioux 
attacked  a  party  of  soldiers  and  drove  them  into 
Fort  Kearney.  As  usual  they  scalped  the  slain  and 
left  them  naked  upon  the  field.  The  next  day  a 
large  body  of  soldiers  sallied  out  from  the  Fort, 
came  as  far  down  as  this  point,  and  buried  the  dead  ; 
rough  head-boards  were  raised,  but  they  have  been 
taken  down  and  split  up  by  some  shivering  'pil- 
grims '  of  the  plains.  We  call  emigrants  going 
west,  pilgrims.  What  I  wanted  to  say  to  you  was 
this  :  I  know  your  sorrow,  young  mah  ;  I  knew  you 
when  you  lay  young  and  helpless  in  your  mother's 
lap.  When  we  were  attacked  a  few  days  ago  I 
told  you  I  had  a  letter  for  you,  in  case  I  was  slain 
and  you  should  survive  ;  seek  not  to  know  its  con- 
tents now,  but  wait  patiently." 

"  Tell  me,  I  implore  you,"  said  Rollin. 


66  SHEKANDOAH  ;    OH,   THE   HORIZOX^S  BAR. 

"  No,  not  now — it  is  not  time  ;  your  sorrow  will 
be  turned  into  joy.  By  the  glare  of  last  night's 
camp-fire  I  saw  your  future.  On  this  journey  great 
events  will  transpire.  Trouble  for  many  da3^s, 
sharp  trouble,  sorrow  such  as  you  never  before 
have  felt.  In  the  curling  smoke  I  saw^  you  rise 
triumphant  over  your  enemies, — for  enemies  you 
have,  herein  this  very  camp,  snakes  who  lie  in  the 
grass  ready  to  put  their  fangs  into  you  when  the 
season  shall  be  ripe.  Fear  not  when  the  hour  of 
trouble  comes,  for  it  will  come,  and  I  shall  be  with 
you. 

No  more  would  the  strange  old  man  say  upon 
the  subject  so  dear  to  Vincent;  in  vain  did  he  ques- 
tion. 

The  wagon-master  led  the  way  to  the  herd,  sig- 
nals were  exchanged  between  him  and  the  herder. 
All  was  quiet,  and  they  returned  to  camp. 

Next  morning  early  the  train  was  in  motion. 
Taking  the  black  pony  to  the  "  ladies'  car,"  he  was 
soon  saddled  and  bridled  ready  for  his  fair  freight. 
Miss  Fairleigh  had  found  a  riding-skirt  in  her  trunk, 
and  as  the  train  was  ready  to  start  she  appeared  in 
front  of  the  wagon  ready  for  her  brother  to  place 
her  in  the  saddle.  Kate  looked  out  from  under  the 
canvas  cover  of  the  wagon,  and  declared  that  "  Nell 
looked  like   a   squaw." 

"  Never  mind,  Kate,  it's  your  turn  to-morrow. 
Let  us  ride  behind  the  wagons,  Harry,"  said  his 
sister ;  *'  I  am  afraid  of  this  little  beast,  and  I  don't 
want  the  young  men  to  see  what  a  poor  equestrienne 
I  am."    It  was  hard  riding  among  the  sand-hills. 


SHEKAKDOAH  ;    OR,    THE   HORIZOX^S   BAR.  67 

*'  I  am  going  to  leave  Nell  in  your  care  for  a  time, 
Rollin,  as  Kate  must  be  quite  lonely  in  her  car," 
said  Harry,  touching  his  gray  with  his  spur  and 
riding  forward  to  overtake  the  wagon.  They  rode 
on  in  silence  for  some  minutes,  when  Vincent  re- 
marked : 

"  Are  you  tired,  Miss  Fairleigh  ?" 

"  Oh,  no ;  I  am  only  tired  of  the  wagon." 

*'  The  wagon-master  said  he  would  show  us  the 
Platte  River  this  evening ;  if  so,  we  are  only  ten 
miles  then  from  Fort  Kearney,  and  your  tedious 
journey  will  be  over,  for  you  can  take  the  stage 
there." 

"  I  will  be  glad  to  see  my  father,  yet  riding  in  the 
stage  is  very  unpleasant.  Notwithstanding  our 
fright,  both  Kate  and  myself  think  our  health  is  im- 
proved. 

**  I  was  afraid  it  would  be  to  the  contrary."  He 
was  stroking  his  horse's  neck,  while  the  lady  cast  a 
sidelong  glance  and  said,  '*  I  am  sure  both  Kate 
and  I  will  never  forget  that  to  you,  Captain  Vin- 
cent, we  probably  owe  our  lives." 

"  No,  no,  I  think  not ;  say  rather  Mr.  Hallett." 

"  To  you  both,  then.  I  have  heard  of  you  very 
often.  Harry's  letters  during  the  war  were  full  of 
you,  and  I  felt  that  I  knew  you  long  ago,  for  you 
were  so  kind  to  him  when  he  was  wounded.  Moth- 
er and  I  longed  to  thank  you." 

The  little  maiden  had  said  more  than  she  had 
intended  ;  she  wished  the  little  Indian  pony  would 
fly  right  into  the  wagon  with  her  and  hide  her. 

Rollin  patted  his  horse  ;  he  was  moved.  With 
brightened  eyes,  he  answered  ; 


68  SHEKAITDOAS  ;    OB,   THE  HORIZOi^'s  BAR. 

"  I  am  more  than  paid  for  the  little  care  your 
brother  received  at  my  hands.  I  have  often  heard 
Harry  speak  of  his  /ztt/e  sister,  and  had  imagined 
you  a  wee  girl." 

In  the  sand  the  horses  toiled  and  silence  came 
again. 

"  We  shall  miss  Harry  very  much  now.  We 
thought  when  the  war  was  over  he  would  surely 
stay  at  home  with  us." 

'*  Do  you  think  he  will  stay  away  two  years  ?" 

"I  cannot  tell,  Miss  Fairleigh ;  I  believe  Harry 
will  not  remain  away  long;  I  think — 1  feel  sure 
that  when  the  excitement  of  the  journey  is  over,  and 
the  quiet  life  at  the  mines  begins,  he  will  soon  tire 
of  the  monotony  and  wish  to  return  to  his  home." 

**  Oh,  that  is  very  good  news.  Do  make  him  dis- 
contented and  urge  him  to  return.  Do  you  think 
you  will  like  it  at  Arizona?" 

When  Vincent  prophesied  in  regard  to  his  friend's 
return,  he  unconsciously  revealed  the  state  of  his 
own  mind  ;  for  surely  when  the  excitement  of  the 
journey  would  be  over,  no  one  would  desire  to  re- 
turn sooner  than  himself.  So  in  answering  her 
question,  he  said  :  ''  I  cannot  tell ;  I  love  to  be  among 
my  friends.  Yet  the  poor,"  he  smiled  here,  **  cannot 
always  do  as  they  wish." 

The  train  had  halted  for  dinner  among  the  sand- 
hills. Miss  Fairleigh  and  her  escort  erode  to  her 
wagon,  and  our  hero  assisted  the  lady  to  dismount. 

"  How  did  you  like  your  ride  ?"  said  Kate. 

"  The  pony  behaved  very  nicely." 

"  The  halt  for  dinner  is  to  be  a  short  one,"  said 
Harry,  who  just  then  came  up  to  the  wagon.     *'Mr. 


8HEXJLXD0AH  ;    OR,   THE   HOElZOK^S  BAE.  6§ 

Hallett  says  we  must  push  on  to  reach  the  Platte. 
There  is  not  a  blade  of  grass  within  twenty  miles  of 
us ;  we  are  feeding  the  horses  and  mules  corn  from 
the  wagon-boxes ;  so  I  do  not  think  I  would  unsad- 
dle the  pony  if  you  intend  riding  this  afternoon." 

This  was  for  Nellie,  and  she  answered  :  "  I  love 
dearly  to  ride,  but  I  think  Cousin  Kate  would  like 
*  to  relieve  the  monotony  '  this  afternoon  herself." 

''  No,  Nellie,  it  will  be  my  turn  to  ride  to-mor- 
row." 

"  Well,  I  will  ride,  then,"  said  Miss  Fairleigh. 

Lunch  over,  the  train  was  again  in  motion. 
Tedious,  dreary  sand-hills,  grand  hiding-places  for 
the  Indians  among  the  swells  of  a  rolling  country. 
Then  that  pest,  the  buffalo-fly,  is  found  in  great 
clouds  along  this  part  of  the  plains,  a  little  fly  about 
the  size  of  the  wicked  flea,  but  oh !  how  they  sting! 
A  mosquito  is  an  honest  vampire  ;  it  gives  you  its 
note  of  warning,  and  then  it  does  not  sting  you  with 
half  the  vengeance  of  the  buffalo-fly.  In  the  thin 
cuticle  behind  the  ear  they  light  and  sting  you  until 
you  are  almost  crazed.  Miss  Fairleigh  had  made  a 
veil  to  fit  closely  round  her  cap,  and  to  fall  upon  her 
shoulders ;  this  kept  the  enemy  at  ba3\  Kate  had 
made  one  for  Harry,  and  as  Nellie,  Rollin,  and  Fair- 
leio^h  were  about  ridino;-  awav  from  the  wasfon,  she 
handed  it  to  him,  and  he  removed  the  handkerchief 
that  he  had  tied  around  his  head,  and  thanked  her 
as  he  took  it  in  his  hand. 

*' What  is  poor  RoUin  to  do?"  said  the  generous 
Harry. 

Miss  Fairleigh  put  her  little  white  hand  in  her 
pocket  and  handed  Vincent  a  veil  that  she  had  made 


70  SHENAKDOAH  ;    OR,   THE   HORIZON'S  BAR. 

for  him.  A  pink  tinge  spread  over  her  handsome 
face  as  she  reached  out  her  hand  with  the  veil  in  it. 
RoUin  took  it  with  a  bow,  and  in  a  low  voice  said  :  "  I 
thank  you." 

"So  that's  all  right/' said  Harry  with  delight. 
"  Now  we  can  defy  old  buffalo  himself  and  all  his 
flies ;  adios,  Kate." 

It  was  a  pleasant  ride  in  the  afternoon,  the  sand 
was  not  so  deep  as  in  the  morning,  and  later,  about 
five  o'clock,  a  silver  stream  was  seen  in  the  dis- 
tance. 

**  The  wagon-master  has  been  true  to  his  prom- 
ise," remarked  Vincent,  "  for  there  is  a  river.  It 
must  be  the  Platte." 

That  night  the  wagons  corralled  by  the  side  of 
the  rapid  flowing  stream.  The  water  of  the  Platte 
River  is  very  pure,  the  bed  is  sandy  and  shifting, 
and  in  the  warmest  day  the  water  is  very  cool ;  ani- 
mals love  to  drink  it,  and  it  seems  equally  beneficial 
to  the  human  race.  It  starts  away  up  in  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  not  far  from  Denver  City,  Colorado ; 
formed  of  the  melted  snow  of  the  mountains,  the 
Platte  River  is  a  blessing  to  the  traveller  on  the 
plains. 

Another  jolly  camp-fire.  A  tree  by  the  river 
bank  was  cut  down,  and  a  roaring,  blazing  fire 
warmed  and  cheered  the  tired  boys,  for  it  was 
weary  work  travelling  through  the  sand-hills. 

Early  in  the  evening  Vincent  and  Fairleigh  re- 
tired from  the  circle  around  the  fire,  and  visiting 
the  "car"  of  the  young  ladies,  proposed  to  them, 
as  the  night  was  clear  and  the  moon  was  bright,  to 
walk  down  to  the  river.     They  passed  down  by  the 


§HEK"AXDOAS  ;    OH,   THE   tlORTZON-^S  BAH.  11 

bank.  Harry  offered  his.  arm  with  mock  gallantry 
to  his  cousin,  asking  her  if  she  would  like  to  step 
into  Delmonico's,  and  led  the  way,  followed  by  Rol- 
lin  and  Nellie. 

"  To-morrow>  Nellie,  we  will  see  father  at  Fort 
Kearney." 

"  And  then,"  added  Rollin,  "  we  must  say  adieu 
to  our  lady  friends." 

Seated  under  the  trees  by  the  river  bank,  the 
young  people  enjoyed  the  hour.  The  ladies  sang 
for  the  gentlemen,  and  the}^  entertained  them  with 
stories  of  the  war.  Adding  to  the  beauty  of  the 
scene  and  hour,  the  moonlit  stream  rolled  rapidly 
on  its  way.  Thoughts  and  talks  of  home  and 
friends,  of  the  novelty  and  romance  of  the  scene, 
beguiled  the  hour  away,  and  all  was  quiet  when 
they  returned. 

When  Rollin  laid  down  upon  his  blanket  that 
night,  he  thought  of  the  little  maiden  with  the  blue 
eyes  and  the  golden  hair,  his  companion  of  the  day. 
To-morrow  they  were  to  part. 

"  Blessings  brighten  as  they  take  their  flight," 
and  a  feeling  of  sadness  came  creeping  over  him  as 
he  thought  of  saying  "  good-bye  "  to  her.  When  he 
fell  into  a  short  sleep  it  was  to  dream  of  her.  Yes, 
Rollin  Vincent  loved  Nellie  Fairleigh. 


75i  SHEKANDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZOi^^S  BAll. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

"  The  coast  is  clear,  Barnstable." 


The  Pilot. 


Nellie  Fairleigh  had  just  passed  her  eighteenth 
birthday,  and  as  yet  without  suffering  one  pang  of 
of  heartache.  She  was  not  a  giddy,  trifling  girl,  but 
a  thoughtful,  reflective  woman.  She  possessed 
largely  of  that  rare  gift,  good  sense.  During  the 
war  she  had  often  heard  of  RoUin  Vincent ;  every 
letter  from  her  brother  contained  something  in  our 
hero's  praise.  When  the  sad  missive  came  from 
the  hospital,  telling  how  kind  and  attentive  the  cap- 
tain had  been  to  the  sufferer  during  the  long  days 
of  pain  and  anguish,  uniting  as  he  did  to  heroism 
and  true  worth,  the  additional  qualities  of  a  kind 
and  sympathetic  heart,  she  felt  that  she  loved  the 
man. 

Her  parents'  love  for  their  only  daughter 
amounted  almost  to  idolatry,  and  when  the  subject 
of  her  marriage  would  be  mentioned  they  would 
say:  *'  Nellie  may  marry  the  man  who  best  pleased 
her,"  feeling  assured  that  she  could  not  set  her  love 
upon  an  unworthy  object.  If  then,  Rollin  Vincent 
pleased  her  best,  he  could  be  her  husband. 

"  I  love  her,"  sighed  our  hero,  "  yet  I  dare  not 
think  of  asking  her  to  become  my  wife ;  the  only 
daughter  of  wealthy  parents,  the  world  would  think 
me  mercenary  if  she  accepted  me.  Perhaps  she 
loves  already  ?  If  she  should  refuse  me  ?  No,  no, 
I  will  not  even  think  of  it." 


SHE]!5"AND0AH  ;    OR,    THE   HORIZON'S   BAR.  73 

A  very  lame  and  impotent  conclusion,  Master 
RoUin.  He  could  not  help  thinking  of  her  for  she 
was  ever  in  his  mind.  So  in  the  summing  up  of 
the  whole  case  we  might  say,  ^'  That  Vincent  loves 
her,  I  do  well  believe  it ;  that  she  loves  him  'tis  apt 
and  of  great  credit." 

It  was  near  nine  o'clock  before  the  train  moved 
off  the  grass  to  the  road.  Rollin  mounted  his  faith- 
ful horse,  and  speaking  to  her  in  animated  tones 
darted  out  upon  the  road.  On  he  rode  until  the 
train  seemed  behind  the  "  horizon's  bar." 

He  loved  to  be  alone  at  times.  He  wanted  to 
work  out  love's  problem  and  speculate,  just  as  you, 
my  reader,  perhaps  have  done,  whether  "  my  love 
loves  me  or  no."  It  was  useless  to  argue  the  mat- 
ter ;  the  same  result  to  every  mental  combat.  "  No, 
no,  I  must  not  think  of  her,"  and  then  he  would  ride 
on  quickly,  trying  hard  to  forget  by  constantly 
thinking  how  much  he  loved  her. 

The  hoofs  of  a  steed  in  hot  haste  pounded  the 
road  behind  him.  He  turned.  It  was  Harry 
mounted  on  his  gray. 

''  You  are  a  nice  fellow  to  run  away  from  us.  I 
think  you  must  want  to  be  gobbled  up  by  some 
prowling  band  of  red  skins,"  ejaculated  Fairleigh, 
almost  out  of  breath  from  his  hurried  ride. 

"  The  ground  seenis  hard  after  the  rain ;  I  was 
on  the  wing  before  I  knew  it." 

"  Rollin,  I  have  noticed  that  you  have  seemed 
worried  of  late — less  like  yourself.  I  am  afraid  you 
repent  consenting  to  join  me  in  this  enterprise,  the 
compact  of  the  Shenandoah." 

**  Why,  it's  nothing  of  the  kind,  Harry,     I  am 


74  SHENAXDOAH  ;    OE,    THE   HORIZON'S   BAR. 

far  from  being  sorry.     You  know   I  always  was  a 
queer  lellow,  and  often  loved  to  be  alone." 

"  Yes,  I  know  ;  I  only  feared  that  you  were  wea- 
ried with  the  journey,  for  to  tell  you  the  truth  I 
am." 

They    were    walking   their  horses  now.     Rollin 
turned  and  smiled.     ''  My  wayward,  spoiled  Harry, ^^ 
tired  so  soon  !     No,  let  us  finish  our  work.     Our 
hands  are  at  the  plough,  don't  let  us  look  back." 

*'  Well,  I  will  say  no  more,  but  try  to  be  content." 

A  long  pause.  The  horses  throwing  down  their 
heads  and  nibbling  the  grass  along  the  edge  of  the 
roadside  ;  then  the}^  came  to  a  full  stop  ;  then  turned 
to  walk  out  upon  the  prairie  to  make  a  meal  of  it. 
Their  riders  seemed  busy  thinking  and  let  their 
horses  wander. 

'*  Rollin—"  suddenly. 

"  Well,  Harry,—" 

^'  I  know  what  would  make  you  happy.  Let  me 
draw  you  the  picture  :  A  law  office  ;  a  splendid  lib- 
rary of  valuable  legal  works  ;  busy  clerks  about  you 
— this  your  office.  Now,  your  home :  A  cheerful 
one  ;  a  bright  fire  in  the  grate  ;  a  warni  supper ;  and 
best  of  all,  a  charming  little  wife.  Dost  thou  like 
the  picture?" 

*'  You  draw  the  scene  nicely  ;  perhaps  that  would 
make  me  happy,  but,"  bitterly,  "  happiness,  we  are 
informed,  is  not  to  be  possessed  by  mortals ;  and  as 
I  lack  all  of  the  various  essentials  to  make  up  youn 
picture,  kindly  as  it  has  been  drawn,  I  fear  that  it 
will  never  be  realized — remain  always  the  ideal." 

'*  Yes,  it  can  be." 

*'  Now,  Harry,  quit.    For  the  sake  of  argument, 


SHENAls'DOAH  ;    OR,    THE   HORIZOK'S   BAR.  75 

perhaps,  all  the  other  parts  might  be  arranged.  How- 
will  you  manage  in  regard  to  the  '  charming  little 
wife '  ?" 

*'  Oh,  that  is  the  easiest  part  of  it.  If  you  will  let 
me  select  one  for  you — " 

"  No ;  I  must  be  allowed  to  do  that  part  myself. 
However,"  he  was  laughing  now,  *'any  suggestions 
on  the  part  of  my  friend  Harry  would  be  received 
and  deliberated  upon  with  due  gratitude." 

**  I  am  afraid  you  would  not  think  I  was  a  good 
judge." 

"  Yes,  I  would  ;  give  me  an  example." 

"  Of  course  you  would  not  marry  any  one  unless 
you  loved." 

'^  I  am  sure  of  that." 

"  Well,  then,  if  you  loved  Nellie,  my  sister,  why 
1  would  like  to  have  you  as  a  brother-in-law  my- 
self," exclaimed  Harry,  and  his  honest  eyes  were 
turned  toward  his  friend.  His  plans  and  purposes 
were  as  clear  as  sunlight.  He  loved  Rollin  deeply, 
but  he  could  be  no  mercenary  match-maker.  He  felt 
that  his  friend  loved  his  sister,  and  that  because  ot 
his  poverty  he  would  not  dare  ask  for  her  \  and  he 
was  right,  for  Vincent,  pale  as  a  statue,  turned  and 
met  his  earnest  gaze. 

"  Harry,  I  do  love  your  sister.  1  have  tried  to 
think  it  was  wrong  in  me  to  even  think  of  her. 

"  Wrong  ! — let's  get  off  our  horses  and  lay  down 
on  the  grass  just  as  we  used  to  do  in  the  old  valley 
of  the  Shenandoah  where  we  fought,  until  the  train 
comes  up  ;  just  unloose  your  lariat  and  let  them  feed 
— wrong !  of  course  it  isn't.     Do  you  love  Nellie  ?" 

"  Yes,  I  do,"  answ^ered  Rollin,  firmly. 


76  SHEN'AIsrDOAH  ;    OR^    THE   HORIZON'S   BAR. 

"Then  all  I  have  to  say  is  'fol  de  rol  de  ri  do,'  " 
and  the  happy  fellow  began  to  roll  over  and  over 
upon  the  grass.  His  horse  started  back,  wonder- 
ing what  was  the  matter,  and  with  his  ears  pointed 
gave  a  loud  snort.  ''  Just  see,  it  makes  my  horse 
laugh,"  he  continued.  Then  seriously,  "  If  you 
love  her  RoUin,  old  fellow,  and  she  loves  3'^ou,  why 
it's  all  right.  I  am  not  her  father,  but  it  is  all  right ; 
I  give  my  consent." 

"  Think,  I  am  poor." 

"  What  of  that,  you  are  young  and  have  talent.  I 
know  you  will  not  suffer,  anyway." 

RoUin  taking  Harry's  hand,  looks  him  in  the  face. 
The  bright  sunshiny  face  is  lit  up  with  joy,  and 
happiness  dances  in  his  eyes  ;  not  so  with  Vincent, 
the  clouds  still  hung  upon,  and  drawing  nearer  to 
his  friend,  he  said : 

*'  Harry,  I  will  tell  you  why  I  should  not  marry 
your  sister;  why  I  should  not  ask  any  one  to  become 
my  wife." 

"Tell  me  then,  RoUin." 

"  I  see  the  train  far  in  the  distance,  and  will 
hasten  with  my  sad  story  ere  they  reach  us.  I  do 
not  know  who  I  am.'*  Harry  glanced  at  Vincent  in 
wonder.  *'  1  never  remember  much  of  my  father.  I 
know  this  from  what  others  have  said,  that  he  had 
been  a  long  time  in  business  and  had  amassed  con- 
siderable wealth.  I  have  a  very  dim  uncertain  re- 
membrance of  him  ;  of  some  one  that  I  used  to  run 
and  greet  at  evening.  I  am  sure  the  person  must 
have  been  my  father.  I  know  of  a  time,  it  seems 
like  a  dream  now,  of  going  to  sleep  in  my  mother's 
lap  waiting  for  him.     I  remember  the  last  time  I 


SHENANDOAH  ;    OK,   THE   HORIZON'S  BAR.  77 

saw  him,  I  was  roused  up  in  the  night  and  saw  my 
father  and  mother  standing-  by  my  bed.  He  was 
very  pale,  and  his  eyes  gleamed  wildly  as  if  m  ter- 
ror. He  took  me  in  his  arms  and  then  both  wept 
as  if  in  agony.  I  did  not  then  know  the  cause,  but 
I  learned  it  years  after.  I  never  saw  my  father 
again  ;  my  mother  took  me  to  my  aunt's  house ;  we 
lived  there  ever  after  I  often  used  to  ask  m3> 
mother  in  a  childish  way  when  my  father  would 
return,  and  she  would  always  answer  me  with 
tears.  She  did  not  live  long  after  we  left  our  own 
home,  she  died — '' 

Harry  looked  up  for  his  friend  had  paused  in  his 
story,  and  drawing  nearer  he  placed  his  hand  with- 
in Rollins,  yet  he  did  not  speak  a  word. 

"  She  died.  I  was  an  orphan ;  and  at  an  early  age 
I  was  sent  away  in  the  country  to  a  school.  I  made 
but  little  progress.  I  was  half-starved  all  the  time, 
and  when  I  came  to  my  aunt's  during  vacation,  I 
looked  so  pale  and  thin  that  she  took  pity  on  me 
and  I  was  sent  to  school  in  the  city.  I  had  a  friend, 
a  schoolmate.  He  was  a  light-hearted  boy,  like  you, 
Harry,  full  of  life  ;  and  I  gradually  threw  off  a 
quiet,  reserved  nature  and  was  light  and  gay  like 
other  boys  of  my  own  age.  I  used  to  go  to  my 
companion's  home  often.  He  had  a  sister  near  his 
own  age,  and  a  boyish  attachment  drew  me  to  her. 
One  day,  waiting  in  the  parlor  for  my  friend,  I 
heard  the  mother  and  sister  talking  in  the  library. 
I  was  about  to  rise  from  my  seat  and  go  to  them, 
for  in  that  house  I  was  a  privileged  person,  when  I 
heard  his  sister  ask : 


78  SHEN"AN-DOAH  ;    OR,    THE   HORIZON'S  BAR. 

"'What  was  it  papa  said  Rollin's  father  did, 
mamma?* 

" '  He  was  once  a  very  rich  man,'  was  the  answer, 
*  and  respected,  your  father  said ;  but  an  associate, 
a  bad  man,  led  him  astray.  He,  with  a  friend,  be- 
came involved  in  a  quarrel  one  night  with  the 
keeper  of  a  gambling  saloon.  The  lights  were  ex- 
tinguished, shots  were  fired.  When  the  police  came 
the  dead  body  of  the  gambler  lay  upon  the  floor, 
and  the  money  that  had  lain  upon  the  table  was 
missing.  RoUin's  father  and  his  partner  in  guilt 
left  the  country,'at  least  they  have  never  been  heard 
of  since.  His  mother,  a  lovely  girl,  I  knew  her 
well,  died  of  a  broken  heart'  " 

I  well  remember  what  an  effect  this  had  upon  mc. 
I  caught  hold  of  an  arm-chair  and  wnth  my  head 
bent,  listened.  It  seemed  when  she  had  finished  as 
if  my  very  life  was  suspended ;  my  head  seemed 
bound  with  an  iron  vice  and  my  knees  were  smote 
as  if  by  a  club.  I  could  not  move  when  my  friend 
came  into  the  parlor,  he  found  me  stretched  ap- 
parently lifeless  on  the  floor ;  I  soon  rallied,  and  was 
carried  to  my  aunt's.  The  first  moment  we  wxre 
left  alone,  I  asked  her  if  the  story  I  had  heard  was 
true.  From  her,  for  I  would  not  let  her  leave  my 
side,  I  learned  it  all. 

The  man  that  had  led  my  father  astray,  was  a 
man  in  whom  he  had  all  confidence.  He  visited 
our  house  ;  my  father  had  befriended  him.  By  him 
my  father  was  led  to  visit  a  fashionable  hell  out  of 
mere  curiosity;  and  the  man  who  had  once  been 
held  up  as  a  model,  for  he  was  generous,  kind  and 
good  to  all,  fell  into  the  snare  and  was  lost  forever. 


SHENANDOAH  ;    OR,    THE   HORIZOK'S   BAR.  79 

He  neglected  his  business.  A  friend,  an  old 
and  valued  one,  his  partner  in  his  mercantile  pur- 
suits, also  became  fascinated  with  the  game,  and 
both  won  and  lost  at  first  until  they,  were  well  in 
the  toils  of  the  devourer.  A  series  of  losses  ruined 
them.  Their  store  was  burned  to  the  ground  one 
night :  it  was  believed  to  be  the  work  of  an  in- 
cendiary, yet  it  never  was  proved.  The  amount  of 
the  insurance  was  paid  over  to  my  father  and  was 
lost  at  the  table  the  night  of  the  murder.  After 
my  father's  flight,  my  mother  never  smiled.  Day 
by  day  she  faded  away  until  she  sank  into  the 
grave.  To  add  insult  to  injury  the  villain  that  had 
done  his  work  so  well,  came  in  the  hour  of  deep 
distress  and  endeavored  to  console  my  mother. 
He  said  that  he  was  wealthy  now  ;  a  rich  relative 
had  died  (he  did  not  know  that  my  mother  knew 
the  depth  of  his  villainy),  and  that  he  would  pro- 
vide a  home  for  us.  I  well  remember  the  scorn 
with  which  his  offer  was  repelled  by  my  mother, 
though  I  did  not  then  know  all  the  circumstances 
attending  it.  I  remember  the  look  of  rage  with 
which  he  seized  his  hat  and  hurried  from  the  room. 
Harry,  after  my  aunt  had  told  me  all,  I  worried 
m3^self  into  a  brain  fever ;  I  recovered  after  a  time 
my  health  but  never  my  joyous,  boyish  spirits.  I 
became,  as  you  have  often  seen  me,  at  times  subject 
to  fits  of  melancholy  that  made  me  think  life  a 
heavy  burden.  This  is  the  reason  why  I  should 
not  marr}' — " 

"  Indeed  it's  the  very  reason  why  you  should  " 
said  his  friend  earnestly  ;  "  you  want  just  such  a  girl 
as  Nellie  to  make  you  forget  all  this  trouble,  and 


80  SHENAJf DOAH ;    OR,    THE   HORIZON'S  BAR. 

what  need  you  care,  RoUin,  what  have  you  done, 
that  you  should  sigh  ?  Let  the  dead  past  take  care 
of  itself.  Live  in  the  present.  I  tell  you  what, 
Rollin,  that  old  to-morrow  cheats  us  out  of  half  out 
pleasures.  Say  you  will  marry  Nellie,  and  I'l* 
warrant  you  will  have  something  to  feel  melaa 
choly  over  in  earnest." 

''  Oh,  Harry,  was  there  ever  such  a  friend  !    Hom 
do  you  know  that  your  sister  will  have  me?" 

*'  Well,  upon  my  word,  I  don't  know,  bat  I  thinl , 
you  have  the  best  chance,"  replied  he,  laughingly  ; 
then  with  a  serious  air :  "  You  have  iitver  heard  Of 
3'^our  father  since  you  mother  died  ?" 

"No." 

"  Or  the  villain  who  so  wronged  you  ?" 

"  Yes,  he  lives.  I  have  tried,  I  have  forgiven 
him  ;  yet  he  knows  it  not.  It  has  been  a  heavy 
cross,  Harr}^ ;"  this  was  sadly  uttered. 

The  train  was  now  near  then ;  the  young  men 
vaulted  into  their  saddles,  their  horses  moved  slowly 
along.  Harry  leaned  a  little  in  his  seat  and  said  in 
a  low  tone : 

"  Rollin,  promise  me  that  you  will  try  to  shake  off 
the  sad  feeling  when  it  comes ;  think  you  are  not  to 
blame  for  what  others  have  done.  Perhaps  your 
father  was  more  sinned  against  than  sinning  ;  beside 
my  dear  fellow, '  there's  a  skeleton  in  every  house,' 
you  know,  and  yours  is  not  as  grim  as  many. 
Now  no  more  fits  of  melancholy." 

'^  I'll  try." 

They  halted  a  moment  to  let  the  train  pass  them. 


shekakboah;  or,  the  horizok^s  bar.         81 


CHAPTER    X. 

FORT   KEARNEY. 

At  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  the  young  men 
riding  in  the  advance  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  stars 
and  stripes  floating  from  the  flag-staff  at  head- 
quarters, Fort  Kearney. 

The  little  piece  of  bunting  caused  a  glad  hurrah 
to  burst  from  the  lips  of  the  horsemen,  and  putting 
their  spurs  in  play  they  made  a  wild  race  to  the 
gates  of  the  Fort. 

The  garrison  at  the  Fort  were  actively  engaged 
in  preparations  for  an  Indian  campaign,  and  the 
quiet  of  camp  life  was  rudely  disturbed. 

The  successful  raids  of  the  Indians  upon  trains 
and  ranches,  the  unlooked-for  daring  displayed  in 
their  battles  with  the  soldiers,  and  above  all  the 
exaggerated  rumors  in  regard  to  their  numbers, 
and  the  shocking  cruelties  inflicted  upon  their 
captives,  that  poured  in  with  every  train  from  the 
West,  checked  for  a  time  the  commerce  of  the 
plains. 

A  series  of  attacks,  evidently  in  concert,  upon  all 
the  military  posts  along  the  route  gave  credibility 
to  the  story  so  often  told  that  the  Indians  held  the 
road  to  the  mountains. 

By  the  very  judicious  order  of  the  general  com- 
manding the  department  of  the  plains,  no  trains 
were  allowed  to  pass  Fort  Kearney  going  west,  or 


8^  SHENANDOAS  ;    OR,    fUt   HOEtZON^S   BAH. 

Camp  Wardwell  coming  east,  that  did  not  muster 
at  least  one  hundred  well  armed  men.  The  same 
order  also  directed  that  trains  not  well  armed  or 
sufficiently  large  in  point  of  numbers  should  be 
delayed  until  othertrains  arriving  gave  the  requisite 
strength.  That  with  every  train  suitable  persons 
should  be  appointed  from  among  their  own  number 
for  the  positions  of  captain  and  lieutenant  whose 
orders  as  far  as  they  related  to  the  government  of 
the  train  were  to  be  obeyed. 

To  the  captain  thus  appointed  a  semi-official 
commission  from  the  post  commandant  was  given, 
empowering  him  to  take  charge  of  the  train  and 
direct  its  movements,  to  report  at  the  nearest  mili- 
tary post  upon  the  route  any  misconduct  of  the 
persons  under  his  command,  and  the  person  or 
persons  offending  should  be  held,  tried  by  court- 
martial,  and  if  guilty  punished. 

One  would  naturall}^  think  that  such  an  order 
for  self-preservation  was  hardly  necessary  ;  that  the 
people  connected  with  the  trains  would  see  the 
necessity  of  banding  together,  electing  their  own 
officers,  and  obeying  them.  Such,  however,  as  a 
general  rule,  was  not  the  case — and  hence  the 
military  order. 

The  people  who  travel  across  the  plains  are  prin- 
cipally reckless  adventurers  bound  for  the  gold 
regions  who  cannot  brook  restraint.  Anything  that 
seems  like  government,  even  temporarily  for  the 
purpose  of  mutual  protection  against  a  common 
danger,  becomes  a  yoke ;  it  is  burdensome,  they  be- 
come restless  under  it.     Even  in  a  train  where  they 


§HEKAKi)OAH  ;    OR,    THE   HORIZON^S   BAR.  83 

have  elected  their  own  captain  thej^  are  careless  in 
regard  to  their  duties  and  oftentimes  mutinous. 

The  captain,  according-  to  their  idea,  either 
causes  the  train  to  go  too  fast  or  else  too  slow.  If 
the  grass  happens  to  be  poor  where  they  are  obliged 
to  stop  at  night,  it  is  the  captain's  fault.  If  a  guard 
is  wanted,  excuses  are  as  plenty  as  the  leaves  in 
summer.  Some  freighters  sitting  by  the  fire  will 
explain:  "Now,  what's  the  use  of  a  guard;  the 
Injins  have  all  gone  north  after  the  buffalo,  or  have 
all  gone  south  to  winter  quarters." 

So  perhaps  the  captain,  tired  of  coaxing  and 
threatening,  yields  the  point;  there  is  no  guard 
placed  over  the  train,  and  the  Indians,  ever  on  the 
watch,  though  often  unseen,  sweep  down  upon  them 
generally  at  daybreak  when  they  are  sleeping  the 
soundest,  and  with  their  wild  yells  throw  them  into 
confusion,  and  then  kill  and  scalp  without  mercy. 

Then  again  some  of  the  people  who  do  not  think 
the  train  moves  fast  enough  to  suit  their  ideas  will 
give  vent  to  something  like  the  following: 

*'  What's  the  use  of  pokin'  along  twenty  miles  a 
day.  My  team  kin  make  twenty-five  without  puttin' 
a  wet  streak  on  'em,  and  there's  plenty  in  the  train 
kin  do  it  too." 

A  half  a  dozen  teams  some  morning  leave  the 
train  earlier  than  the  rest  and  ''go  it  alone." 
To  finish  the  quotation,  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten 
they  get  "  euchred."  If  they  are  not  stopped  at 
the  first  military  post  and  held  until  the  main 
body  comes  up,  they  meet  with  a  worse  fate, 
though  perhaps  deserving  it,  when  they  fall  ii>to 


H  SHEl^ANDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZOi^^^S  BAfi. 

the  hands  of  the  savages  who  are  waiting  for  just 
such  chances  along  the  road. 

A  great  deal  of  blame  is  attached  to  the  mili- 
tary on  the  lines  of  travel  because  so  many  whites 
are  annually  killed.  In  many  cases,  the  unfor- 
tunates contribute  to  the  disaster  by  their  own 
carelessness  and  disobedience  of  positive  orders 
laid  down  for  their  protection  by  the  officers  in 
command. 

Upon  the  plains  engaged  in  freighting  are  a  great 
many  energetic  and  honest  men ;  but,  as  a  general 
rule,  a  more  disorderly,  unwilling-to-be-governed 
set  of  beings  to  be  found  in  America  are  the  people 
who  crossed  the  plains  from  '''49  "  to  1865. 

At  the  Fort,  when  the  train  of  the  American 
Mining  Company  arrived,  all  was  bustle  and  con- 
fusion— scouts  had  arrived  from  up  the  road,  and 
declared  that  the  Indians  had  crossed  the  Platte, 
and  had  gone  south  to  the  Smoky  Hill,  and  that 
the  road  was  now  clear.  Trains  that  had  been  cor- 
ralled now  began  to  ''pull-out"  on  their  journey, 
and  the  whips  of  the  bull-whackers  were  cracking 
in  the  air,  mingled  with  oaths,  and  the  tedious 
"  whoa-haw ; " — mules   were  braying  and  the  dust 

flying  when  the  train  reached  the  Fort. 

*  *  *  -s?-  *  *  * 

When  the  young  men  dashed  up  to  the  parade- 
ground,  and  in  front  of  the  building  that  was  known 
as  Headquarters,  an  elderly  gentleman  stepped 
upon  the  balcony. 

*'  Father,"  said  Harry  Fairleigh— then  dismount- 
ing, and  almost  flying  up  the  steps. 

*'  My  son,  my  son,  where  is  he?" 


SHEJS-AXDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZOi^^'s  BAR.  85 

^  r^ellie  and  Kate  are  safe,  and  will  be  here  in 
less  than  twenty  minutes." 

''  Thank  God,"  said  the  old  man  ;  his  voice  was 
thick  with  emotion.  Throwing  his  arms  around  his 
son's  neck,  they  went  into  Headquarters  together. 

The  members  had  looked  on  with  moistened 
eyes,  for  there  was  many  a  brave  and  sympathetic 
heart  among  them. 

By  Mr.  Fairleigh,  senior,  they  w^ere  introduced 
to  the  officers  of  the  Fort.  When  RoUin  was  intro- 
duced by  Harry  to  Mr.  Fairleigh,  the  old  gentle- 
man held  his  hand  long,  and  remarked  that  "  He 
was  very  glad  to  meet  him  for  his  kindness  to 
Harry  while  in  the  service." 

''  You  will  have  something  else  to  thank  him  for 
when  I  tell  you." 

Vincent  looked  appealingly  at  his  friend— who 
had  mercy  on  him— and  did  not  continue.  The 
officers  of  the  Fort  gladly  participated  in  the  re- 
union. Harry  took  pains  to  tell  them  what  a 
splendid  fellow  Terry  McCann  was,  and  what  an 
addition  he  would  be  to  their  mess. 

Lieutenant  McCann  had  remained  behind  with 
his  company  guarding  the  train. 

"  I  am  informed  another  officer  is  ordered  here  of 
the  same  regiment  as  the  lieutenant's,  Adjutant 
Dumfries,  I  think,"  said  an  officer,  that  had  been 
introduced  to  the  members  as  Captain  Spear. 

"That  is  your  friend,  Rollin,"  said  Harry. 

"  Yes,  it  must  be  ;  when  is  he  to  arrive  ?"  to  the 
officer. 

"We   look  for  him   every   day.     He   left  Fort 


B6  SHEN"A>TDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZOK*S  BAfi. 

Leavenworth  with  a  strong  detachment,  and  I 
think  he  has  not  been  disturbed." 

The  members  were  very  hospitably  entertained 
by  the  officers,  and  had  the  freedom  of  the  Fort. 
Mr.  Fairleigh  and  Harry  walked  out  to  the  parade, 
ground,  while  the  latter  related  the  story  of  Nellie 
and  Kate's  adventures  upon  the  Little  Blue. 

"  Is  it  possible  !"  exclaimed  Mr.  Fairleigh,  when 
Harry  had  finished.  ''  The  rescue  from  the  savages 
was  almost  a  miracle.  Mr.  Vincent  is  doubly  dear 
to  us  now ;  and  this  Mr.  Hallett,  I  must  thank  him, 
and  do  it  in  a  substantial  manner." 

"  Do  not  think  of  offering  money,  father." 

"  Well,  I  will  not ;  yet  I  thought,  being  as  you 
say,  a  wagon-master,  he  might  not  take  offence  if 
what  I  give  was  given  to  him  quietly." 

Mr.  Fairleigh  saw  Harry  objected,  and  he  did 
not  allude  to  the  subject  again. 

The  train  came  in  sight,  and  they  walked  down 
to  meet  it.  As  they  wended  their  way  down  the 
road,  Mr.  Fairleigh  observed  : 

"  Harry,  I  am  sure  you  must  have  seen  enough 
of  these  horrid  plains  by  this  time.  Let  me  beg  of 
you  to  return  home.  The  war  is  over,  and  we  have 
waited  now  so  long  to  have  you  with  us  again." 

Harry  was  not  stubborn.  He  had  wished  himself 
at  home  a  dozen  times  since  he  left  Leavenworth, 
not  from  fear,  but  the  days  were  growing  monoto- 
nous. 

''No,  father;  I  have  promised  to  go  at  least  as 
far  as  Arizona.  Perhaps  when  we  have  been  there 
a  little  while,  I  will  get  RoUin  to  return  with  me." 

The  generous-hearted  fellow  could  form  no  plans 


SHEKAKDOAH;    or,   the   HORIZOi^^S  BAR.  87 

for  the  future  unless  Rollin  was  in  them.  If  Vincent 
had  proposed  returning  then  and  there,  he  would 
willingl}^  have  concurred,  but  he  would  not  propose 
such  a  thing. 

"  What  is  to  be  done  with  the  girls?"  referring  to 
Nellie  and  Kate. 

"  I  am  of  the  opinion  that  it  is  better  to  go  on 
than  to  return  just  now.  The  scouts  who  came  to- 
day report  the  road  clear  of  Indians  between  here 
and  Denver,  if  so,  the  trouble  lies  behind  us." 

"  But  the  northern  route  via  Omaha  is  open."' 

^'  Yes,  but  the  officers  think  the  Sioux  who  made 
the  raid  upon  the  Little  Blue  will  raid  northward 
into  the  Pawnee  country  that  lies  north  of  and  along 
the  Omaha  road,  so  both  roads  seem,  to  be  danger- 
ous, for  we  have  no  guarantee  that  they  have  left 
the  Little  Blue,  or  that  they  are  not  on  the  northern 
road." 

"  So  you  think  that  you  will  accompany  us  to 
Denver." 

"  Yes,  I  think  it  safer  to  go  with  you  than  with 
the  stage.     Do  the  girls  complain?" 

"  No,  sir ;  I  think  they  have  enjoyed  it  rather  for 
the  past  two  or  three  days. 

The  foremost  wagon  was  now  abreast,  and  when 
the  "car"  came  along  they  were  inside  almost  be- 
fore the  occupants  knew  the  wheels  had  ceased  to 
revolve.  We  will  draw  the  canvas  covering  tighter 
around  the  wagon-bow;  and  as  Jim,  the  driver,  did 
not  look  in  to  disturb  the  joy,  or  listen  to  catch  the 
words  of  parental  love  and  thankfulness  from  within, 
we  will  not. 

The  train  corralled  near  the  Fort.    At  evening, 


SS  SHENANDOAH  ;    OH,    THE  HORIZOK^S  BAE. 

Mr.  Fairleigh,  Nellie,  and  Kate  stood  near  the  camp- 
fire  which  had  been  started  by  all  save  the  ones  at 
the  Fort.  The  young  men  had  been  invited  up  to 
Headquarters,  and  the  camp  was  silent. 

Mr.  Fairleigh  was  a  fine  looking  old  gentleman. 
His  face  was  of  that  ruddy,  close-shaven  look  we 
find  in  pictures  of  "  gentlemen  of  the  old  school." 
He  was  very  erect  in  carriage.  His  e3'e  was  clear 
and  bright.  His  hair  of  that  snowy  whiteness  that 
adds  nobility  to  one  advanced  in  years. 

"Ah,  Nellie,  my  bonny  girl,  thy  bright  hair  would 
have  looked  grandly  in  a  warriors'  belt.  It  would 
have  been  a  prize  worth  battling  for.  Katie,  did 
you  faint?" 

''  No,  sir ;  what  was  the  use  in  fainting  ?  Nobody 
to  catch  you  that  you  cared  for." 

The  sound  of  hoots  was  heard,  and  as  they  turned 
around  two  men  rode  into  the  centre  of  the  corral. 

It  was  too  dark  to  distinguish  who  they  were. 

"  What  is  your  name  ?  "  said  a  voice  that  Nellie 
recognized  as  the  wagon-master's. 

"  Pedro — Pedro  Mexicano.  But  I  gets  called 
Pedro  the  most,"  answered  the  other. 

"  Well,  Pedro,  I  will  hire  you  to  tend  our  stock 
for  us.  Come  out  with  me.  I  will  show  you  where 
the  animals  are,  and  you  can  relieve  the  driver  that 
is  out  now." 

''  Si,"  said  the  Mexican,  and  their  forms  were  lost 
in  the  darkness. 

''That  must  be  the  new  herder.  I  understood 
from  Harry  that  one  was  to  be  hired  so  as  to  relieve 
the  drivers,"  remarked  Nellie. 


SHENANDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZON'S  BAR.  80 

"  And  the  other  was  the  wagon-master?  Was  it 
not?"  inquired  Kate. 

Yes.  He  rode  up  to  the  wagon  the  other  day 
when  you  were  sleeping  away,  and  said  that  he 
thought  when  the  train  arrived  at  Fort  Kearney  a 
great  trouble  would  be  off  his  mind,  for  he  then 
would  be  able  to  hire  a  herder  and  the  driver  would 
cease  grumbling." 

Voices  heard  in  the  distance ;  it  was  the  wagon- 
master  returning  with  the  driver  that  had  been 
relieved  from  stock  tending  by  the  new  man. 

As  they  came  near  the  group  at  the  fire,  the 
wagon-master  checked  up  his  mule  and  the  driver 
passed  on  to  his  wagon.  "  Good  evening  ladies. 
It's  a  dark  night  and  you  not  afraid  ?"  in  a  kind  tone. 

"  Oh  no.     Let  me  introduce  you  to  my  father." 

The  wagon-master  was  out  of  his  saddle  in  a 
twinkling ;  passing  his  arm  through  his  bridle-rein 
he  advanced  toward  the  fire. 

"  Father  let  me  introduce  you  to  Mr.  Hallett,  and 
as  he  won't'let  me  say  all  that  is  due  to  him,  I  will 
say, — who  helped  to  rescue  us  from  the  Indians." 

The  wagon-master  stood  by  the  camp-fire.  A 
bright  little  blaze  shot  out  from  the  log  in  the  ashes, 
and  it  revealed  his  sun-burnt  face  ;  he  had  removed 
his  sombrero,  and  his  forehead  was  as  white  as 
a  woman's. 

Mr.  Fairleigh  stretched  forth  his  hand  and  raised 
his  eyes  ;  they  met  the  steady  gaze  of  the  wagon- 
master.  With  a  start  the  outstretched  hand  was 
drawn  back  and  fell  to  his  side. 

^'  fjay ward  !     Is  it  possible  ! }" 


90  SHENANDOAH ;    OE,   THE  HOKIZON'S  BAR. 


CHAPTER  XL 

"  BENNY   HAVENS  O  !" 

The  members  of  the  Mining  Company  were 
having  a  jolly  time  within  the  officers'  quarters  at 
the  Fort. 

Terry  McCann  had  just  finished  one  of  his  rattling 
stories,  amid  roars  of  laughter.  "What  next?" 
asked  a  smooth-faced  Lieutenantc 

'*  A  song,  a  song,"  cried  several  voices.'  *'  Come 
Meredith,"  said  Eaton,  "  give  us  your  '  Drink  from 
the  Fountain  of  Life.'  " 

The  former,  bowing  to  the  company,  sang  in  a 
clear,  tenor  voice. 

When  Memory  lifts  the  curtain 

And  Hope  lights  up  the  waste, 
'Tis  glorious  as  'tis  certain 

That  we  again  can  taste 
The  cup  of  sweets,  not  empty; 

New  joys  will  kindle  where 
The  seeds  of  peace  and  plenty 

A  golden  harvest  bear. 

The  flowers  of  rarest  perfume 

Oft  blossom  upon  the  hearth.  ^ 

The  roughest  shell  and  covering 

Hides  a  precious  pearl  beneath. 
Many  a  princely  heart  doth  beat 

Behind  the  rudest  guise, 
And  only  tells  its  story 

Jn  the  language  of  the  eyes, 


SHEKAKDOAH  ;    OR,    THE   HORIZON'S  BAE.  91 

The  conversation  soon  became  general.  Old  army 
stories  were  told,  old  battles  fought  again.  "  Now" 
said  Fairleigh,  "  as  a  good-bye,  let's  have,  to  remem- 
ber old  times,  '  Benny  Havens.'  " 

In  a  clear  ringing  voice  Meredith  sang  the  well- 
known  army  song,  and  the  chorus — at  the  chorus — 
made  the  windows  rattle. 

Come  fill  up  your  glasses,  fellows,  and  stand  up  in  a  row, 
To  singing  sentimentally  we  are  going  for  to  go, 
In  the  army  there's,  sobriety;    promotion  's  very  slow, 
So  we'll  sing  the  reminiscences  of  Benny  Havens,  O ! — 
O  !  Benny  Havens,  O  !    O  !  Benny  Havens,  O  ! 
So  we'll  sing  the  reminiscences,  of  Benny  Havens,  O. 


CHAPTER  Xn. 

It  was  a  silent,  impressive  moment  at  the  camp- 
fire. 

The  young  ladies  looked  at  each  other  in  speech- 
less amazement. 

The  eyes  of  the  guide  were  fixed  upon  Mr.  Fair- 
leigh, and  in  them  seemed  a  shade  of  misery.  A 
look  of  sadness  came  over  the  bronzed  features. 
The  outstretched  hand  fell  at  his  side  :  he  turned 
to  go,  walked  towards  a  wagon  a  few  steps  distant, 
leaned  against  the  wheel  for  a  second  with  his  hand 
upon  the  tire,  then  feebly  tottered  out  into  the  dark- 
ness of  the  night. 

Mr.  Fairleigh  followed  him. 

The  ladies  did  not  speak.  They  gazed  long  and 
earnestly  into  the  ashes  of  the  fire,  as  if  there  they 
could  find  the  key  of  the  mystery. 


92  SHENAN"DOAH  ;    OR,   THE   HORIZOi^'s   BAR. 

"  It  is  very  strange,"  said  Miss  Fairleigh,  break- 
ing the  silence.  They  waited  long,  but  Mr.  Fair- 
leigh  came  not. 

The  camp  was  very  still,  all  save  the  watchers 
were  asleep.  The  train  was  so  near  the  fort,  a 
guard  was  dispensed  with.  They  could  see  the 
lights  in  the  windows  at  headquarters,  and  hear  the 
shouts  of  merriment. 

A  step — and  Mr.  Fairleigh  came.  His  face  wore 
an  anxious  look,  yet  it  was  lit  up  with  a  benevolent 
expression  so  kind  and  forgiving  that  both  ladies 
remarked  it. 

"  It  is  chilly,  this  night  wind.  Retire,  young 
ladies ;  I  did  not  mean  to  be  away  so  long." 

He  led  them  to  **  the  car"  in  silence,  assisted  them 
to  mount  to  their  quarters,  kissed  them  both  good- 
night, and  then  Avalked  hurriedly  away  to  the 
wagon-master,  who  sat  where  he  had  left  him,  on  a 
mess-chest  on  the  outer  edge  of  the  corral. 

*  -x-  *  *  *  * 

The  young  men  marched  down  from  the  fort 
arm-in-arm,  singing  the  well-known  song  of  the 
brigade,  to  which  many  had  been  marched,  "  Roll- 
ing Home." 

At  day-break  the  next  morning  the  camp  was 
aroused  by  the  tramping  of  animals  near  them,  and 
mingled  with  snorts  and  shouts  was  a  series  of 
sharp,  wolfish  yells,  that  caused  many  of  the  mem- 
bers to  seize  their  fire-arms,  and  rush  from  their 
tents  half  attired. 

The  singular  cries  were  made  by  the  new  herder 
Pedro,  who  was  bringing  up  the  stock  in  true  Mex- 
ican style,     The  animals  seemed  to  understand  that 


SHEITAN-DOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZOK's  BAR.  93 

there  was  a  new  order  of  things.  Previous  to  this 
morning,  driving  in  the  stock  had  been  attended 
with  great  difficulty.  Some  of  the  mules,  as  they 
w^ere  about  to  enter  the  coral,  would  dash  off  sud- 
denly to  the  right  or  left,  leading  a  small  party  of 
rebels  with  them.  An  exciting  chase  w^ould  then 
ensue.  The  members  w^ould  mount  horses  and 
hurry  after  the  flying  mules,  and  assist  the  drivers 
to  bring  in  the  refractory  animals.  One  mule  was 
certainly  possessed  of  a  devil.  A  large,  gray  fel- 
low. The  drivers  called  him  Stonewall.  His  habit 
was  to  trot  demurely  up  with  the  herd,  as  gently 
as  a  kitten,  until  he  came  within  a  few  feet  of  the 
mouth  of  the  corral,  and  then  with  a  proud  toss  of 
the  head,  and  turning  his  big  eyes  back  to  see  how 
the  coast  lay  behind  him,  he  would  wheel  suddenly, 
and  away  h@  would  bound  over  the  prairie,  often 
alone,  but  oftener  with  a  dozen  of  his  kindred  at 
his  heels.  The  mule's  name  was  a  misnomer ;  they 
called  him  Stonewall  because  of  his  color. 

This  morning  a  firm  hand  held  the  whip  ;  the 
gentle  creatures  seemed  to  understand  that  their 
master  was  behind  them,  and  they  came  up  in  good 
style. 

Stonewall  was  disposed  to  rebel  at  the  very  out- 
set. He  made  a  little  feint  at  the  right,  and  the 
lash  came  down  so  quick  and  hot  on  his  flank  that 
he  squealed  with  rage  and  pain.  Another  effort  to 
break  away,  another  swinging  of  the  whip  in  the 
air,  a  second  stroke  on  the  flank,  and  then  Jubal 
took  warning,  dropped  his  ears,  and  trotted  into 
the  corral,  a  picture  of  injured  innocence. 

Pedro  Mexicana  sat  upon  his  pony  guarding  the 


94  SHENANDOAH;    OR,    THE   HORIZON'S   BAR. 

mouth  of  the  corral.  A  pleasant  fellow  to  look  at, 
despite  his  bronzed  features  and  his  thick  black 
hair,  which  hung  to  his  shoulders  from  beneath  his 
broad  sombrero.  The  wagon-master  had  found 
him  in  Kearney  City.  He  was  then  waiting  a 
chance  to  get  to  New  Mexico.  The  wagon-master 
made  him  an  offer  which  was  at  once  closed,  and  ^ 
he  began  his  duties  in  an  hour. 

His  pony  was  thoroughly  accustomed  to  the 
work  of  his  master,  and  eyed  his  presence  with  the 
air  of  a  shepherd  dog.  A  thin-limbed  mustang, 
strong  in  the  neck  and  flank.  The  herder  rarely 
ever  touched  the  bridle-rein.  If  a  mule  strayed  the 
pony  was  after  him ;  the  whip  and  yell  did  all  the 
rest. 

It  is  singular  the  effect  produced  upon  animals 
by  the  wolfish  yell  of  the  herder.  Heavy  wagons 
have  been  mired  or  "  stalled,"  as  the  freighters 
term  it,  in  the  road.  Team  after  team  would  be 
detached  and  added  to  aid  the  stalled  team.  The 
inexperienced  drivers  would  pull  and  whip  and 
swear,  but  all  in  vain.  The  animals  would  not  pull 
together.  They  would  jump  at  intervals,  pull 
against  each  other,  become  entangled  in  the  har- 
ness, and  then  confusion  would  reign  supreme, 
when  along  would  come  the  professional  driver. 
Taking  the  reins  in  his  hands  he  would  say : 

"  Up  now,  gee  boys,  on,  on,  on,  on."  With  a  sin- 
gle bend,  the  animals  would  strain  together  and  out 
of  the  mire  would  roll  the  wheels.  The  cries  evi- 
dently had  something  to  do  with  success. 

At  sea  a  party  of  sailors  are  toiling  hard  to  "  weigh 
the  anchor."     It  comes  up  heavily,  slowlj\    "  Sing, 


SHE>^AITDOAH  ;    OR,    THE   HORIZON'S   BAR.  95 

you  lubbers!"  growls  the  mate.     The  sailors  strike 
up  a  lively  tune  and  the  anchor  comes  up  quickly. 

The  mules  were  harnessed  and  the  train  was  again 
rolling  on.  The  members  have  said  their  adieux  to 
the  officers  of  the  fort. 

Terry  McCann,  loth  to  leave  them,  mounted  his 
horse  and  rode  in  their  midst  to  Adobetown.  Here 
the  gallant  fellow  shook  hands  with  all  the  members. 
As  he  rode  away,  Tom  Eaton  sang  out : 

*'  Three  cheers  for  Terry  McCann  !  " 

They  were  given  with  a  will  and  sounded  pleas- 
antly in  his  ears  as  he  rode  back  alone  to  his  quar- 
ters. 

Kate  Ferris  on  the  black  pony  took  an  invigorat- 
ing canter  with  her  cousin  Harry.  They  took  to 
the  prairie  as  the  road  was  here  thronged  w^ith 
w^agons. 

People  living  in  the  eastern  states  had  very  little 
idea  of  the  amount  of  freight  that  at  this  time  was 
yearly  borne  across  the  plains.  In  1865,  for  instance, 
in  two  weeks'  time  more  than  six  thousand  wagons 
passed  Fort  Kearney,  rolling  westward. 

The  air  of  the  prairies  is  decidedly  medicinal.' 
Chandler  had  the  rheumatism,  he  had  to  be  assisted 
to  mount  his  horse.  He  was  now  full}^  recovered, 
and  could  walk  as  well  as  any  of  the  members.  Ned 
Meredith  was  almost  a  skeleton,  the  result  of  the 
''  Chickahominy  fever."  The  first  whiff  of  the  clear 
air  gave  him  a  ravenous  appetite  and  he  was  daily 
growing  stronger.  The  road  on  the  plains  is  the 
best  in  the  world,  as  dry  and  level  as  the  Paseo  Coral 
at  Aspinwall. 
.  The  following  letter  to  the  Ncav  York  Tribune, 


96  SHENANDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZON'S  BAH. 

dated  May  29,  1 866,  is  inserted  as  more  fully  describ- 
ing the  region  through  which  the  train  was  pass- 
ing: 

"  The  Plains  afford  the  most  natural  roads  in  the 
world.  Many  years  ago,  F.  X.  Aubrey  galloped 
from  Santa  Fe,  New-Mexico,  to  Independence,  Mis- 
souri, more  than  seven  hundred  miles,  in  less  than 
seven  days.  He  changed  horses  three  or  four  times, 
and  won  his  wager  of  $1,000;  but  at  the  end  of  the 
journey  he  was  so  stiff  that  he  had  to  be  lifted  from 
the  saddle.  Last  year  Ben  HoUaday,  proprietor  of 
the  Overland  Line,  rode  in  a  coach  from  Folsom  to 
Atchison,  2,030  miles,  in  twelve  days  and  two  hours. 
That  was  a  trip  worth  the  making  !  In  view  of  it 
the  locomotive  hides  its  diminished  head,  Arion  and 
the  dolphin,  Aristo  and  the  hippogriff,  became  pleas- 
ant possibilities.  The  thought  of  it  takes  away 
one's  breath  Across  the  Sierra  Nevadas,  whirling 
through  snow-drifts  of  the  caflons,  with  overhanging 
rocks  2,000  feet  above  your  heads,  spinning  along 
the  perilous  edge  of  many  a  dizzy  precipice,  ghding 
through  the  great  basin  with  its  endless  alkaline 
wastes,  rattling  up  and  down  the  frowning  cliffs  of 
the  Rocky  Mountains,  shooting  through  the  sands 
of  the  measureless  desert,  in  all-enveloping  clouds 
of  dust,  rolling  merrily  over  the  gentle  swells  of  the 
flower-spangled  prairie !  Night  and  day,  through 
storm  and  sunshine,  shivering  in  frost,  panting  in 
tropical  heat,  shrinking  under  pelting  hail,  cowering 
in  the  lightning's  fiery  track,  across  the  continent, 
from  the  serene  ocean  to  the  turbid  river ! 

*.*  Mr.  HoUaday  accomplished  one  route  of  14  miles 
in  45  minutes,    During  our  own  trip  we  frequently 


&HMAKDOAH  ;    OR,   THE   HORlZOK^S  BAR.  St 

exceeded  lo  miles  an  hour,  and  once  we  came  ii 
miles  in  55  minutes.  We  arrived  here  at  noon  on 
Saturday,  four  days  and  twenty-two  hours  from 
Atchison,  though  we  made  extra  delays  of  lo  hours 
on  the  wsLj.  The  distance  is  642  miles ;  the  regular 
stage  time  five  days  and  four  hours." 

Before  leaving  the  commandant  had  proposed  to 
the  members  that  it  would  be  well  to  elect  some 
one  of  their  number  as  captain  of  the  train.  Some 
person  to  command  in  event  of  trouble  with  the  In- 
dians. 

"  Will  not  the  wagon-master  be  the  proper  per- 
son," suggested  a  member. 

'*  I  think  not,"  was  the  reply.  *'  He  is  very  well 
posted  as  to  the  Indian  style  of  warfare,  and  will 
be  of  great  assistance  to  the  person  in  command, 
but  his  principal  duty  is  the  running  of  the  train,  to 
find  proper  places  for  encampments  where  grass 
and  water  may  be  found,  the  condition  of  the  ani- 
mals, and  other  matters  of  that  sort.  The  duties  of 
a  captain  are  to  select  the  guard  each  night,  to 
inspect  your  arms,  and  to  assign  places  in  the  event 
of  an  attack.  I  have  not  detained  you  to  make  one 
hundred  because  in  my  opinion  it  was  not  necessary. 
You  are  more  than  well  armed,  each  man,  I  under- 
stand, can  fire  twenty-six  shots  without  reloading; 
each  man  I  am  informed  has  a  rifle  and  a  pair  ot 
revolvers.  You  have  all  been  officers  in  the  army. 
It  would  take  a  large  force  of  Indians  to  capture 
you,  and  your  only  fear  is  a  surprise.  Yet  you 
should  have  a  captain  to  take  military  supervision  of 
the  train." 


98  SHEi^AKDOAH  ;    on,   THE  HOniZOys  BAR. 

The  advice  of  the  colonel  was  acted  upon,  for 
when  they  halted  for  dinner  Brooks  cried  out: 

"  Let's  elect  a  captain." 

"  All  right,  by  acclamation,"  said  a  dozen. 

*'  No,  by  ballot,"  said  Churchill. 

*'  Let's  go  into  convention  and  make  nominations," 
put  in  Chandler,  laughing.  Bits  of  paper  were  dis- 
tributed among  the  members.  The  wagon-master 
was  invited  to  vote  and  excused  himself.  Chandler 
passed  the  hat  around  and  Brooks  announced  the 
result. 

*'  Harry  Fairleigh  !" 

"You  voted  for  yourself,  Harry,"  said  Meredith. 

Two  votes  for  Adderley,  twenty-two  for  Roliin 
Vincent.  Mr.  Vincent  rose  and  thanked  the  mem- 
bers, and  relieved  Harry  Fairleigh  by  declaring  he 
had  voted  for  him. 

"  Speech,  speech  !  "  cried  several  of  the  members. 

"  Excuse  me,"  said  the  captain,  "  the  banquet 
waits." 

"Yes,"  said  Eaton,  "coffee  without  milk,  and 
pork  by  the  yard." 


CHAPTER  XHL 

PLUM   CREEK. 


The  new  captain  had  no  orders  to  give.  He 
merely  asked  that  the  members  have  their  fire- 
arms loaded  and  ready  for  use.  He  rode  gayly 
with  Fairleigh  the  rest  of  the  day,  with  a  smile  and 


SHEXAKDOAH  ;    OR,    THE   HORIZON  6  BAR.  99 

pleasant  word  for  everybody,  while  Harry  and  Kate 
were  galloping  over  the  prairie.  That  night  they 
camped  twenty  miles  west  of  Fort  Kearney.  As 
they  sat  by  the  camp-fire  Harry  whispered  to 
Rollin  :  ''  Let  us  call  on  the  young  ladies." 

The  young  ladies  were  "  at  home,"  and  the  even- 
ing passed  pleasantly.  Miss  Fairleigh  congratu- 
lated Rollin  upon  his  election,  and  our  hero  blushed 
like  a  school-boy  and  bowed  his  acknowledgments. 
Kate  remarked  that  she  was  glad  Harry  was  not 
elected,  for  if  he  had  been  there  would  have  been 
war  at  once,  for  she  would  not  mind  or  obey  his 
orders. 

*'  Never  mind,"  said  Harry,  '*  I  shall  insist  on  your 
both  honoring  and  obejdng  me  one  of  these  days; 
I  never  expect  to  get  you  to  love  me,  but  you  must 
do  the  other  part  of  the  contract,  honor  and  obey." 

**  Indeed  I  won't." 

"  Indeed  you  will.  If  you  say  any  more  I  wil{ 
kiss  you  right  before  Rollin." 

*' Any  more." 

A  small  fight.     Harry  kissed  her. 

"  What  is  the  matter,  Kate  ?  "  said  a  strange  voice. 

It  was  Mr.  Fairleigh  who  stood  looking  in  at  the 
front  of  the  wagon. 

"  Nothing,  uncle.     Harry  is  misbehaving  himself." 

"  Will  you  want  your  Indian  to-morrow,  Miss 
Fairleigh  ?" 

**  The  pony  ?  Yes,  if  you  are  not  ashamed  of  so 
poor  an  equestrienne." 

"  Not  at  all,  I  think  you  are  improving  wonder- 
fully." 


100  SHEifANDOAB:  ;    OR,   THU   HOHIZON^S  BAR. 

Another  step,  Master  Rollin  was  before  her  father. 

He  wished  he  had  not  said  it. 

"  Yes,  do  ride,  Nellie,  I  wish  to  see  how  you  look 
on  horseback,"  said  her  father. 

The  next  morning  early  the  little  black  pony,  sad- 
dled, was  led  up  to  the  *'car,"  the  wagon  halted  a 
moment  and  Nellie  made  her  appearance. 

Rollin  assisted  the  lady  to  mount.  Harry  rode 
up  and  the  trio  took  to  the  side  of  the  road  to  avoid 
the  dust. 

"  Your  duties  are  not  very  onerous,  captain,"  said 
the  lady. 

"  No,  indeed,  I  hardly  see  the  need  of  a  captain 
when  we  have  so  competent  a  wagon-master." 

The  strange  scene  at  the  camp-fire  flashed  through 
Nellie's  mind.  She  had  asked  her  father  in  regard 
to  it,  but  he  evaded  her  questions  and  when  she 
pressed  the  matter  he  answered  : 

''  Not  now,  my  child.  It's  a  long  story.  I  will 
tell  you  sometime." 

''Do  you  know  him? — this  strange  wagon-master 
— is  he  a  good  man  ?  " 

**  Yes — yes,  I  believe — I  know  he  is." 

When  Rollin  spoke  thus  in  regard  to  Mr.  Hallett 
it  made  "  assurance  doubly  sure,"  and  she  said  : 

*'  Kate  and  I  have  great  faith  in  him.'* 

Harry  remarked  as  he  touched  his  horse  with  the 
spur: 

"  Good-bye,  folks,  you  go  too  slow  for  me.  I  am 
going  to  ride  ahead  with  the  boys." 

They  were  alone  now. 

A  sharp  bark  like  that  of  a  young  dog  was  heard 
on  their  right. 


SHEKAKDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HOEIZON's  BAH,  101 

**  See  there,  MissFairleigli — that  must  be  a  prairie- 
dog  city." 

Covering  about  five  acres  were  numerous  little 
hills  of  sand,  prairie  dog-houses.  At  nearly  every 
mound  was  a  little  animal  that  sat  upon  its  hind 
legs  watching  the  train.  Many  of  the  little  fellows 
becoming  frightened  would  utter  a  squeak  or  bark 
and  plunge  head  foremost  down  the  hole,  or  door 
of  their  house.  It  is  a  difficult  matter  to  get  them 
after  they  are  shot,  for  if  anywhere  near  a  hole  they 
will  manage  to  dive  down  it,  and  they  are  only 
*' unearthed"  by  pickaxe  and  shovel.  It  is  said 
that  the  prairie  dog  only  "  keeps  house  "  for  other 
parties,  the  prairie  owl  and  rattlesnake,  and  I  have 
read  that  the  three  form  a  happy  family  on  a  small 
scale. 

Such,  however,  is  not  the  case. 

Owls  are  sometimes  found  in  a  prairie  dog-house. 
As  a  visitor,  rarely  if  ever,  a  rattlesnake.  If  one 
does  blunder  in,  it  is  a  dog-house  or  owl-house  no 
longer.  It  is  safe  to  say  that  if  there  are  any  prairie 
dog  or  owl  undertakers  in  that  prairie  dog  cit}^ 
their  services  are  needed  at  once  at  that  house 
where  the  tail  of  the  rattlesnake  was  seen  to  dis- 
appear through  the  front-door. 

RoUin  dismounted,  raised  his  rifle  to  his  shoulder 
and  blazed  away  ;  running  quickly  to  the  animal 
he  aimed  at,  he  managed  to  reach  it  before  it 
*'  plunged  below." 

Upon  examination  it  proved  to  be  a  good-sized 
prairie  dog.  It  was  about  the  size  of  a  dock-rat 
and  seemed  to  be  a  cross  between  a  pup  and  a  rat. 
Some  people  eat  prairie  dogs,  others  find  pleasure 


102  SHEITAXDOAH  ;    OR,    THE   HORIZON^S   BAR. 

in  tickling  their  palates  with  the  steak  of  a  horse,  so 
at  least  we  are  informed  by  Paris  advices. 

"  We  have  yet  a  long  journey  before  us,  Miss 
Fairleigh  ?" 

"  Yes ;  and  notwithstanding  the  fatigue,  I  think  I 
feel  that  I  am  growing  stronger." 

''  Then  the  object  of  your  journey  will  be  accom- 
plished if  you  find  yourself  entirely  well  when  you 
reach  the  mountains." 

"  I  feel  well  now.  But  I  presume  it  will  be  many 
years  before  we  see  Harry  again  when  we  part  this 
time.     You  will  be  so  very  lonely." 

Who  was  she  thinking  about?  Two  words  for 
Rollin,  one  for  Harry  evidently. 

*'  Yes,  indeed,  I  dread  to  think  of  it." 

A  long  pause. 

"  Try  to  keep  Harry  back.  I  know  that  he  will 
not  go  if  you  remain  behind." 

"  If  I  thought  so,  I  would.  I  think  I  would  almost 
not  stay  long." 

Just  then  Harry  rode  up  and  said :  "  Rollin,  the 
wagon-master  asks  your  presence  front  for  a  few 
minutes;  nothing  special." 

Vincent  spoke  to  his  horse,  and  bowing  to  Miss 
Fairleigh,  rode  forward. 

''  You  seemed  to  be  enjoying  yourselves,"  said 
Harry,  with  a  smile. 

"  Oh  !  we  were,"  answered  the  little  maiden,  tan- 
talizingly. 

"  What  was  he  saying  to  you  ?" 

"  Why  such  a  question.  He  was  telling  my  some- 
thing I  well  know." 

"What  was  that?" 


&HEKAi;DOAH  ;    Oil,   THE  flORIZON^S  BAH.  l03 

"That  you  were  a  stupid,  good-for-nothing, 
splendid  old  brother." 

"I  don't  believe  it.  Suppose  now  he  were  to 
ask  you  for  that  little  hand  ?" 

She  blushed  only  a  little,  then  said  :  ''  I  would  tell 
him  it  could  not  go  without  my  heart." 

"  Suppose  he  asked  for  both  heart  and  hand, 
then  what?"  persisted  the  torment. 

*'  Why,  then  I  suppose  I  would  refer  him  to  you, 
as  you  seem  to  have  so  much  to  say  about  it." 

"  Do  you  know  what  I  would  say  ?" 

"  No,  nor  I  don't  care." 

''You  do;  you  know  you  do." 

*'  Well,  then,  to  get  rid  of  you,  what  would  you 

say?" 

''  I'd  say  this :  '  Old  fel,  I  have  known  you  for 
going  on  four  years,  and  I  don't  know  a  better, 
truer  man  among  my  acquaintances  ;  take  her,  make 
her  behave  herself,  and  then  you'll  be  happy.' " 

"  Now,  that  would  be  a  nice  thing  to  say,  '  make 
her  behave  herself,'  indeed,  the  very  first  thing  I 
would  ask  him,  if  he  was  my  husband,  would  be 
to  make  you  behave  yourself,  and  I  know  he  would 

do  it,  too." 

"  But  now,  seriously,  Nellie ;  now  like  a  good 
girl,  would  you  mary  RoUin  Vincent  ?" 

"  He  has  not  asked  me  yet.     How  could  I  tell?" 

*'  Well,  suppose  he  should  ?" 

"  1  will  tell  you  what  I  would  say." 

Harry  waited, — then  said,  ''What?" 

"  I  will  tell  you  what  I  would  say  some  time 
after  I  had  made  an  answer  to  him." 

That  was  all  the  satisfaction  Harry  could  get. 


104  SHEiTA:J^DOAH  ;    OR,   TSE  IIORIZO>^*S  BAR. 

When  Rollin  rode  up  to  the  side  of  the  wagon- 
master,  the  old  man  said,  **  I  think  we  will  run 
across  buffalo  to-morrow ;  what  do  3^ou  say  to  lay 
over  a  day  and  have  a  hunt.  It  would  do  the  stock 
good  to  have  a  day's  rest ;  the  grass  is  high  near 
Plum  Creek,  and  we  encamp  ten  miles  beyond  it  to- 
night." 

"  I  am  in  favor  of  it ;  I  should  think  the  rest  of 
the  members  would  be.     We  can  find  out  to-night." 

They  reached  Plum  Creek  at  noon.  Within  the 
past  few  years  this  little  dried-up  stream  has  wit- 
nessed many  a  scene  of  slaughter,  and  in  every  in- 
stance the  whites  have  suffered.  The  train  crossed 
th-e  well-worn  bridge,  then  halted  upon  the  other 
side.  The  Platte  River  is  easily  forded  here  bv  the 
Indians,  who  steal  cautiously  up  the  dried-up  bed 
of  the  ravine,  then  fall  upon  the  unwary  trains  at 
nigrht  or  earlv  in  the  mornins^,  and  success  at  the 
time  has  made  them  bold.  A  ranche  stood  near 
the  creek  at  the  time  the  train  halted.  But 
it  is  there  no  longer.  The  broken  charred  mass 
marks  the  spot  now.  The  place  was  a  fearful  one 
in  reputation  before  the  ranche  was  built.  Wh}'  a 
man  would  dare  the  prowling  redskins  to  kill  and 
scalp  him  for  the  few  dollars  he  might  earn  in  a 
season  of  travel,  is  beyond  comprehension. 

It  was  all  quiet  when  our  train  passed.  Two  or 
three  of  the  drivers  went  in  to  get  a  drink  of  the 
poisonous  whiskey,  then  jumping  into  the  saddle, 
when  they  came  out  of  the  dark  door  of  the  hut, 
they  smacked  their  lips  while  the  hellish  fluid 
gnawed  and  burned  their  vitals.  They  corralled 
that  night  on  the  banks  of  the  Platte,  and  when  the 


SHENAIfDOAH;    OR,    THE   HORIZON'S    BAR.  105 

proposition  was  made  to  lay  over  the  next  day  and 
hunt  the  buffalo,  it  met  with  an  unanimous  "  Aye." 

Nearly  every  man  that  can  ride  a  horse  thinks  he 
can  hunt  the  buffalo,  and  without  any  previous  ex- 
perience. Nearly  every  member  was  anxious  to 
join  in  the  proposed  hunt. 

After  considerable  time  had  been  in  expended 
"talks"  as  to  who  should  remain  and  take  charge 
of  camp,  the  matter  was  decided  by  ballot,  that 
but  ten  members  should  go  upon  the  buffalo  hunt, 
and  they  were.  Nelson,  Dakin,  Eaton,  Howard, 
Brooks,  Chandlar,  Fairleigh,  Meredith,  Stokes,  and 
Dunscombe. 

By  invitation,  Mr.  Hallett,  the  wagon-master,  as- 
sumed command  of  the  party  that  were  to  hunt  the 
buffalo. 


CHAPTER   XIV. 

"  Did  you  see  my  black-faced  antelope  ?" 

"  No;  who  did  your  black-faced  aunt  elope  with  ?" 

Next  morning  the  hunting  party  started  for  the 

bluffs. 

The  following  gentlemen  composed  the  party, 
they  had  been  selected  at  the  camp-fire ;  Adderly, 
Churchill,  Dumfries,  Eaton,  Fairleigh,  Hallett, 
Smith,  Sanders,  Stokes  and  Vincent. 

All  were  fullv  armed  with  rifles,  revolvers,  and' 

knives. 

They  made  an  early  start ;  finished  their  breakfast 
just  as  the   sun   rose,  mounted   their  steeds,  and 


106  SHE]S"AN"DOAH  ;    OR,   THE   HORIZOJs^^S  BAR. 

started  upon  the  hunt.  They  reached  the  bluffs, 
entered  a  canon,  the  sand  was  deep,  and  walked 
their  horses,  x^lniost  through  the  bluffs  a  wide 
plain,  a  valley  before  them,  and  another  line  of 
bluffs  beyond. 

''  Halt !  gentlemen — " 

The  wagon-master  dismounted  and  led  his  mule'^ 
by  the  bridle  to  where  Vincent  sat  upon  his  horse. 

"  I  am  going  up  on  the  bluffs  to  see  if  I  can  find 
anything,  without  wasting  powder.  Mr.  Vincent, 
will  you  hold  Bet  ?" 

Hallett  was  soon  upon  the  summit  of  the  hill, 
looked  around  down  the  valley,  caught  sight  of 
something  evidently,  for  he  started.  A  look  of 
pleasure  came  upon  his  sunburnt  face  and  then  he 
descended  the  bluffs  on  the  run. 

''Aha,  gentlemen !  I  see  three  antelope  feeding 
only  about  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  away  in  the 
valley  in  this  direction,"  pointing  with  his  finger. 
Now  I  '11  tell  you  how  we  will  arrange  it,  some  gen- 
tleman will  have  to  volunteer  to  hold  four  horses 
here  while  their  riders  crawl  with  me  over  the 
bluffs  and  shoot  from  this  way,  while  the  remaining 
five  gentlemen  will  go  outside  these  bluffs  again 
into  the  plain,  take  another  canon  about  halt  a  mile 
above,  and  go  through  the  valley.  You  '11  want 
your  horses,  for  its  a  good  long  stretch,  and  drive 
your  game  down;  we  will  lay  hid  until  the  other 
party  begin  firing,  that  will  be  our  signal  to  knowi 
that  they  have  arrived  upon  the  ground,  if  the  other 
party  don't  get  them,  we  will ;  are  you  agreed  ?" 

''  Certainly — yes;  that's  the  best  way." 

<*  Who  are  the  merry-go-rounders?"  asked  Eaton. 


SHE:N'i.N'DOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZOIf^S  BAR.  107 

*'  First  let  me  see  who  will  be  willing  to  hold  four 
horses  and  his  own  beside?" 

"  I  will,"  said  Sanders.  "  I  am  a  poor  shot,  any- 
way." 

''Thank  you.     Gentlemen,  shall  I  divide  you?" 

"  Cut  us  in  two,  Mr.  Hallett?  you  are  growing 
blood-thirsty,"  said  Stokes. 

"  I  mean  the  body  collective,"  replied  the  wagon- 
master,  with  a  smile. 

"  Certainly — yes ;  you  are  the  doctor,  proceed 
with  the  amputation." 

"  Messrs  Dumfries,  Vincent,  Fairleigh,  Stokes  and 
Adderly  are  the  merry-go-rounders,  as  Mr.  Eaton 
calls  them." 

The  gentlemen  thus  named  turned  their  horses* 
heads  about,  and  were  riding  back  up  the  canon. 

"  You  understand  your  part,  gentlemen." 

*'  Yes  sir,"  from  Dumfries. 

^' Au  revotr,  my  fair  lady,  Harri  et  de  Go- 
Around,"  said  Eaton,  kissing  his  hand  to  Harry 
Fairleigh." 

"  Adios,  my  noble  lord.  Sir  Thomas  de  Telegram, 
Knight  of  Malta  and  Count  of  Buffalo,"  replied  the 
other,  laughingly. 

"  Confound  him,"  said  Tom,  who  joined  in  with 
the  others  in  the  roar  of  laughter,  "  he  always  gets 
best  of  me." 

"  Let  us  dismount,  gentlemen,  and  work  our  way 
over  the  hills ;  we  have  the  short  cut,  it  is  true,  but 
it  is  a  tedious  one,  we  will  not  be  long  waiting  for 
our  friends." 

All  had  dismounted,  and  Sanders  had  charge  of 
the  horses. 


108  SHENANDOAH  :    OR,    THE   HORIZON'S   BAR. 

They  began  to  ascend  the  bluffs.  If  anj^thing 
occurs  and  you  wish  our  presence,  fire  olfiF  your  re- 
volver and  we  will  return,"  said  the  guide,  looking 
back  at  Sanders. 

"  All  right,  sir." 

They  were  toiling  along  in  the  sand,  suddenly 
Hallett  stopped,  caught  Smith  by  the  arm,  who  was 
walking  a  trifle  in  advance,  and  said  in  a  whisper. 

*'  Look  down,  right  there/'  pointing  below.  Not 
more  than  fifty  yards  away  at  the  foot  of  the  bluffs, 
were  two  antelopes  feeding ;  they  had  been  hid 
from  view  by  the  hollow  of  the  hills. 

"  This  is  glorious,"  said  the  guide;  "  we  can  get 
these  fellows  now  before  our  friends  arrive  if  we 
work  right,  and  then  take  the  others  also.  Mr. 
Eaton,  as  you  are  the  best  shot,  suppose  you  go 
down  by  this  ravine  with  Mr.  Smith  to  the  foot  of 
the  bluffs,  keep  the  side  of  the  ravine  between  you 
and  the  antelope  until  you  get  in  range.  Mr. 
Chandler  and  myself  will  fire  from  here  at  the  same 
time." 

Eaton  had  been  considered  the  best  shot  among 
the  members.  He  made  the  "  bull's-eye  "  ring  every 
time  in  the  pistol  gallery  at  Leavenworth;  but  shoot- 
ing at  a  placid  target  with  a  "  bull's-eye"  without  a 
wink  to  it  is  one  thing,  and  drawing  a  bead  on  live 
game  on  the  plain  quite  another. 

Upon  their  hands  and  knees  Eaton  and  Smith 
crawled  along  the  gulch,  they  reached  the  foot  of 
the  hills. 

"  I  think,  Eaton,  you  had  better  take  first  shot," 
whispered  Smith. 

They  now  began  to  crawl  up  the  ravine.     Tom 


SHENANDOAH  ;    OR,    THE   HORIZON'S  BAR.  109 

cocked  his  rifle  and  was  read}-  to  fire  as  soon  as 
they  came  in  sight  of  the  antelopes. 

They  reached  the  top  of  the  ravine  and  faced 
their  game. 

An  antelope  is  a  beautiful  animal ;  and  to  see  it 
bounding  across  the  plain  it  seems  the  very  embodi- 
ment of  graceful  motion.  When  once  captured,  they 
become  very  tame ;  the  large,  liquid  black  eyes  seem 
full  of  affection,  and  they  will  come  at  your  call. 

Tom  raised  his  rifle  ;  the  buck  that  was  nearest  to 
him  raised  its  head  and  looked  him  full  in  the  face, 
never  offering  to  run,  but  gazed  at  him  as  much  as 
to  say  : 

".  Who  are  you,  sir?  and  what  do  you  wish?" 

Tom  glanced  his  eye  along  the  barrel.  The  great 
black  e3^es  of  the  antelope  were  fixed  on  the  hunter ; 
and  as  he  said  afterward : 

"  Ton  my  word,  it  was  deuced  romantic,  but  it 
seemed  like  murder  to  shoot.  I  felt  as  if  I  was 
drawing  a  bead  on  a  human  being." 

The  doe  also  raised  its  head  with  the  buck  and 
both  watched  the  hunter. 

"  Why  don't  you  fire?"  asked  Smith. 

This  seemed  to  arouse  Tom  to  the  fact  that  he 
was  hunting  antelope,  and  he  tried  to  take  aim,  but 
his  nerves  were  all  unstrung.  The  rifle  shook  like 
a  reed  shaken  by  the  wind,  in  his  hand.  He  tried 
to  stead)'  himself  a  little,  then  fired.  He  saw  the 
ball  strike  in  the  sand  full  thirty  yards  beyond  the 
antelope.  The  buck  never  moved,  but  stood  still 
looking  at  him  as  if  in  surprise.  Eaton's  rifle  was  a 
breech-loader,  he  threw  out  the  old  burr,  put  in  a 


110  SHENAN'DOAH  ;    OR,    THE   HORIZON'S  BAR. 

fresh  cartridge,  and  brought  the  piece  again  to  his 
shoulder. 

This  time  the  buck  wheeled  around  and,  followed 
by  the  doe,  started  on  a  run  out  into  the  valley. 

Tom  pulled  the  trigger  and  again  the  ball  went 
wide  of  the  mark. 

It  struck  somewhere  out  in  the  middle  or  the 
valley. 

Crack,  went  the  report  of  a  rifle  from  the  hill- 
top. 

The  buck  jumped  up  in  the  air  and  fell  back  upon 
its  side,  dead.  The  doe  ran  over  into  the  bluffs 
upon  the  opposite  side  of  the  valley. 

''Come  up,  gentlemen;  we  will  let  the  buck  lay 
until  we  come  back,  I  don't  think  the  wolves  will 
scent  him  right  away.'' 

Eaton  and  Smith  ascended  the  hill.  The  wagon- 
master  smiled  at  Tom  as  he  came  up. 

"  Ton  my  word  now  that's  romantic  to  miss  a 
shot  in  that  way  ;  mischief  take  it,  I  don't  know 
know  what  was  the  matter  with  me.  He  looked  at 
me,  the  great  black  eyes  seemed  full  of  wonder  and 
my  hand  shook  like  a  leaf.     Plague  take  it." 

"  Why,  it  was  the  buck  fever,  Mr.  Eaton ;  don't 
blame  yourself,  everybody  has  a  time  of  it.  Just 
nurse  up  your  nerves  a  little,  you  will  probably  hit 
the  next  one  if  you  have  anything  of  a  chance. 
Every  hunter  has  to  have  the  buck  fever.  But 
hasten  on  gentlemen,  our  friends  will  soon  be  in  the 
valley. 

They  travelled  on  for  some  minutes  in  silence, 
then  the  guide  approached  the  edge  of  the  bluffs 
and  looked  into  the  valley. 


SHENAIN'DOAH  ;    OE,   THE  HORIZOK's  BAR.  Ill 

"  Hold,  gentleman !  We  are  near  the  three  we  saw 
at  first,  let  us  now  crawl  down  near  them,  conceal 
ourselves  and  wait  for  the  other  party." 

As  they  were  crawling  down  they  heard  shots 
fired,  they  raised  their  heads  and  saw  Dumfries  and 
the  others  riding  down  the  valley  coming  toward 
them  with  two  antelopes  about  fifty  yards  in  front 
galloping,  the  white  tufts  of  the  animals  tails  seemed 
like  snowy  plumes. 

'*  Fire  when  they  get  opposite  to  us ;  take  good 


aim." 


Down  they  came  and  when  they  were  right  in 
front,  the  wagon-master  said  :  "  Rise  and  fire." 

They  did  so;  both  antelope  fell  within  a  few  feet 
of  each  other. 

The  hunters  now  met  in  the  middle  of  the  valley ; 
Fairleigh,  who  was  a  little  in  the  rear  of  the  horse- 
men, came  up  with  a  fine  doe  laj^ing  across  the  sad- 
dle in  front  of  him. 

The  wagon-master  looked  at  the  two  last  killed, 
and  they  proved  to  be  two  fine  does,  quite  young 
ones. 

They  were  laid  across  the  horses  of  Vincent  and 
Dumfries,  and  the  party  proceeded  down  the  valley. 

''  Halloa,"  said  Fairleigh,  "  there  goes  a  wolf." 

Sure  enough,  a  wolf  had  discovered  the  carcass 
of  the  antelope  first  slain,  and  was  making  toward 
it. 

He  turned  around  as  he  saw  the  party  coming 
down  and  ran  toward  the  bluffs  to  the  left. 

Fairleigh  raised  his  rifle  and  taking  aim,  fired. 
The  wolf  gave  a  yelp  and  ran  up  the  bluffs  minus 
his  tail. 


112  SHENAIS'DOAH  ;    OR,    THE   HORIZON'S   BAR. 

"  Cruelty  to  animals,'*  said  Stokes. 

The  wolf  had  evidently  lost  his  head  by  having 
his  tail  shot  away,  for  he  ran  round  and  round  yell- 
ing: exactly  like  a  wolt  with  his  tail  off. 

''  I  will  put  him  out  of  his  misery,"  said  the  wagon- 
master.     "  Whoa,  Bet." 

Crack,  went  the  rifle,  and  the  wolf  ceased  his 
yelping. 

The  buck  killed  by  the  wagon-master  was  a  large 
one  and  it  was  thrown  across  Bet  in  front  of  the 
wagon-master.  Sanders  had  walked  up  leading  the 
horses  to  the  spot  where  the  buck  lay.  All  were 
mounted  now,  and  they  concluded  to  start  for 
camp.  It  was  hardly  ten  o'clock  and  they  could 
reach  the  wagons  within  an  hour. 

''  Let  us  go  and  take  a  look  at  the  wolf,"  said 
Churchill. 

The  wolf  had  fallen  on  the  side  of  the  hill  near 
the  mouth  of  the  canon,  where  the  hunters  had  en- 
tered, and  as  it  was  only  a  little  out  of  their  way, 
they  all  rode  toward  the  spot. 

It  was  the  ordinary  grey  prairie  wolf.  The  mem- 
bers took  a  good  look  at  it. 

*'  Shall  I  skin  it  ?"  said  Stokes  to  the  wagon-mas- 
ter. 

"  No,  I  think  not ;  it  would  not  pay  you  for  your 
trouble,"  was  the  answer. 

Churchill  had  walked  out  upon  a  kind  of  table 
land.  He  had  dismounted  and  with  his  field  glasses 
to  his  eyes  was  looking  up  and  down  the  valley. 

"  Oh,  bo3's !  dismount,  and  come  here,  just  see 
the  buffalo,"  all  dismounted;  the  wagon-master 
advanced  out  near  Churchill.  . 


SHEiTAKBOAH  :    OR,   THE   flOBIZON*S  BAR.  Il8 


CHAPTER  XV. 

"  And  to  avoid  the  foes  pursuit, 
With  spurring  put  their  cattle  to't. 
And  till  all  four  were  out  of  wind 
And  danger  too,  ne'er  looked  behind." 

Hudibras, 

''  Buffalo  !  where  ?  Let  me  have  the  glass.  Ah, 
\%6  a  herd  of  ponies,  Indians  must  be  near,  I  thought 
aO.  Down  into  the  cafion  and  make  for  the  camp  ; 
they  see  us." 

A  party  of  Comanches  had  halted  to  allow  their 
ponies  to  graze  in  the  fertile  valley,  and  as  it  is  their 
custom  to  place  lookouts  upon  the  bluffs  when  near 
them,  the  hunters  were  soon  discovered.  In  a 
twinkling  each  pony  had  a  rider  upon  its  back,  for 
the  Indians  lay  concealed  near  their  animals  in  the 
tall  grass,  and  now  shouting  and  hallowing  they 
came  at  full  speed  up  the  valley. 

Churchill  had  dismounted,  and  allow^ed  his  horse 
to  feed  near  him ;  the  animal  was  very  gentle,  and 
would  usually  come  at  his  call.  The  other  mem- 
bers had  held  their  horses  ;  they  were  mounted  now, 
and  were  rapidly  descending  the  hillside.  He 
sprang  toward  his  horse,  who,  alarmed  at  his  man- 
ner, wheeled,  tossed  down  his  head,  and  before  he 
catch  at  the  bridle-rein  the  frightened  horse  w^as 
galloping  over  the  bluffs. 

The  Indians  have  many  advantages  over  the 
whites  in  their  battles  with  them.  These  Bedouins 
of  the  plains  are  undoubtedly  the  finest  horsemen 


114  SHEJ^AKDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZON^S  BAR. 

in  the  world,  they  are  at  home  upon  any  part  of 
their  animals.  Their  little  tough  ponies  carry  them 
without  slipping  up  the  steep  sides  of  the  bluff  and 
over  the  mountains,  while  mounted  upon  the  heavy 
horses  of  the  cavalry-service,  soldiers  in  pursuit 
are  obliged  to  draw  rein  and  watch  the  red  man 
upon  his  mountain-goat  (for  the  Indian  pony  is 
almost  as  sure-footed)  carry  their  riders  out  of  dan- 
ger. They  know  the  lay  of  the  country ;  every 
ravine,  cafton,  and  sheep-path  in  the  mountains, 
where  the  river  can  be  forded,  or  where  it  is  dan- 
gerous to  cross. 

While  the  hunting  party  were  struggling  in  the 
deep  sands  of  one  canon  the  pursuers  were  dash- 
ing through  the  hard-bottomed  bed  of  another,  for 
the  wily  savages  well  knew  that  the  white  men 
were  making  for  the  plains.  The  savages  also,  as  a 
general  thing,  dash  down  upon  their  enemy  with 
their  plans  carefully  matured ;  each  man  knows 
what  his  duty  is,  and  the  best  person  is  selected  for 
that  duty.  Many  think  they  rush  in  pell-mell  with 
a  wild  helter-skelter,  no  order  or  previous  under- 
standing as  to  what  shall  be  done.  'Tis  true,  they 
rush  down  upon  you  madly,  but  then  there  is 
method  in  their  wild  onslaught.  The  attacking 
party  is  under  the  command  of  one  chief  (captain), 
if  he  falls  another  chief  (if  the  party  is  sufihciently 
large  to  warrant  the  presence  of  more  than  one) 
takes  command.  If  he  is  also  placed  hors  du  combat^ 
one  of  the  braves  (lieutenants)  commands  the  war- 
riors (privates)  in  the  battle. 

Churchill  started  to  run  after  his  horse.  The 
sand  was  deep  in  the  ravine,  and  he  made  but  poor 


SllEl^ANDOAfi  ;    OU,   THE  HORtZON^S  BAH.  115 

progress,  stumbled  and  fell,  rose  again  only  to  fall, 
and  when  Tom  Eaton  turned  in  his  saddle  he  was 
kneeling  with  his  head  in  his  breast  in  utter  de- 
spondency. 

"  Self-preservation  is  the  first  law  of  nature." 
The  hunters  in  their  flight  to  save  their  own  lives 
spurred  their  animals  through  the  sand. 

*'  My  God  !"  exclaimed  the  wagon-master,  as  he 
turned  a  sharp  bend  in  the  caiion  and  saw  the 
riderless  horse,  with  stirrups  swinging,  at  full  speed 
ahead  of  him'. 

"  My  God !  where  is  the  man  who  was  on  that 
horse?" 

"  Churchill,  his  horse  broke  away  from  him  on 
the  bluffs.  Poor  fellow,  we  wnll  have  to  leave  him," 
said  Adderley  with  a  sigh,  at  the  same  time  driving 
the  spurs  deep  into  his  horse's  side. 

"No,  I'll  be  d — d  if  we  will  leave  him!"  broke 
out  Tom  Eaton.  He  checked  up,  looked  back,  and 
there  was  Churchill  kneeling  in  the  sands.  To 
'wheel  round  and  dash  down  to  him  was  with  Eaton 
the  work  of  a  moment. 

As  the  brave  iron-gray  jumped  through  the  sand, 
the  foam-wreaths  lay  like  crested  Avaves  along  the 
panting  sides,  the  red  nostrils  extended,  and  the 
eye  was  full  and  bright. 

The  Indians  were  almost  abreast  of  them  in  the 
next  cafton.  Their  yells  and  shouts  sounded  fear- 
fully in  their  ears.  They  would  evidently  be  cut 
off. 

Churchill  heard  a^well-known^voice  and  he  raised 
his  eyes. 

"  Quick !     Mount  behind  me !"  ' 


116  SHEl^ANDOAH  ;    Oil,   THE   HORIZOK^S  BA£. 

He  obeyed  ;  and  now  the  noble  steed  with  its  dou- 
ble freight  turns  again  down  the  ravine  or  canon. 

"  On !  on !  good  iron-gray.  This  race  is  to  the 
swift  alone." 

Now  a  heavy  slough.  The  tired  animal  is  almost 
up  to  his  knees  in  mire.  He  struggles.  Both 
young  men  dismount  and  urge  him  on.  They  do 
not  mount  for  some  time,  as  the  sand  is  deep.  They 
run  along  by  the  side  of  the  horse.  They  seem  to 
go  faster  this  way. 

Harder  ground  now.  They  catch  a  glimpse  of 
their  friends  just  turning  a  bend  in  the  canon. 
On  they  run  by  the  side  of  the  reeking  iron-gray^ 
each  has  a  hand  upon  a  bridle-rein,  while  in  the 
other  is  a  cocked  revolver. 

A  shout.  The  party  in  advance  have  gained  the 
plains. 

Hark !  a  lull ;  now  a  rattle  of  small  arms. 

The  Indians  had  gained  on  the  hunters.  They 
had  reached  the  plains  before  them,  and  now  began 
the  ride  for  life.  Turning  in  their  saddles,  the 
whites  discharged  their  revolvers  at  the  foremost 
foemen. 

Two  or  three  fall  from  their  ponies.  There  is  a 
moment's  confusion,  and  the  iron-gray  with  his 
heavy  load  (for  the  young  men  had  mounted  after 
the  hard  ground  was  reached)  dashed  upon  the 
plains  out  of  the  canon. 

"  Speed  !  iron-gray,  speed  !" 

Camp  is  in  sight.  It  is  nearer  the  hunters  than 
it  is  to  the  savages  by  only  an  eighth  of  a  mile. 

The  noble  horse  is  nearing  a  little  stream  about 
three  feet  wide  with  tall  grass  and  willows.     The 


SHENANDOAH  ;    OR,    THE  HORIZON'S  BAR.  Il7 

water  is  clear.  If  the  steed  stops  to  drink  they  are 
lost. 

Whizz  !  an  arrow  goes  by  them  They  can  dodge 
the  feathered  shaft  at  their  distance.  They  reach 
the  stream.     The  rein  is  tightened. 

"  Over,  lad,  over." 

He  clears  the  stream  and  the  bushes ;  seems  to 
fiy  by  them. 

The  other  hunters  are  but  one  hundred  yards  in 
advance. 

Yet  the  savages  are  gaining  on  them. 

They  will  follow  them  to  the  very  mouth  of  the 
corral. 

They  see  Pedro  driving  up  the  stock.  At  the 
camp  they  are  preparing  for  an  attack. 

The  wagons  are  drawn  closer  together.  The 
mules  and  horses  of  the  members  Avho  have  re- 
mained at  camp  are  safe  within  the  corral  now. 

Pedro  and  others  are  drawing  a  rope  across  the 
mouth  of  the  corral  to  keep  the  animals  in. 

Adderley,  who  is  far  in  advance  of  the  others, 
rides  in. 

An  arrow  glances  over  Eaton's  shoulder.  Nearer, 
nearer  they  come,  )^et  the  hunters  dare  not  look 
behind.  The  foremost  party  have  reached  the 
mouth  of  the  corral.  The  rope  is  withdrawn,  and 
in  they  dash.  Whizz,  an  arrow  strikes  Churchill 
in  the  back.  He  shrieks  with  pain,  and  his  arms 
clasp  Eaton  tightly  around  the  bod}^  The  jaded 
beast  is  ready  to  drop.  Mem^bers  standing  upon 
wagon-tongues  with  their  rifles  read}^  wait  a  chance 
to  fire,  and  wave  them  on.     The  young  men  have 


118  SHEiTAN"DOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HOKIZO]!^*S  BAR. 

reached  the  road.  The  Indians  abandon  the  chase^, 
check  up  suddenly,  and  let  fly  a  cloud  of  arrows. 

Both  young  men  are  hit,  yet  do  not  fall  from  the 
spcddle. 

The  faithful  steed  reaches  the  corral.  The  rope 
is  lowered.  He  stumbles  in,  and  as  the  young  men 
leap  to  the  ground,  the  poor  tired  gray  falls  quiver- 
ing in  the  centre  of  the  corral. 

"  Fire  !"  shouted  Meredith,  who  was  in  command. 
A  loud  report  just  as  they  entered.  The  animals  in 
the  corral  plunged  madly  around,  brayed,  neighed, 
kicked  and  stamped.  They  essayed  to  rush  out,  but 
the  whip  of  Pedro  was  worse  music  to  their  ears 
than  the  discharge  of  fire-arms. 

Meredith  was  the  first  to  discover  the  approach 
of  the  Indians.  For  the  savages  had  emerged  from 
their  canon  before  the  hunters  came  from  the  sandy 
one  that  seemed  their  unfortunate  choice.  Their 
salvation  lay  in  the  fact  that  the  cafion  of  the 
Indians  lay  full  an  eighth  of  a  mile  farther  away 
from  camp,  as  well  as  that  the  Indians  had  some- 
thing of  a  start.  Meredith  awoke  the  sleeping 
drivers,  who  lay  under  their  wagons;  members 
were  hurried  out  of  tents,  and  word  was  taken  to 
Pedro  by  Pritchard,  Jr. 

All  were  armed  and  placed  behind  the  wagons, 
waiting  only  for  the  hunters  to  arrive. 

"  Fire  !"  shouted  Meredith,  as  Eaton  and  Churchill 
rode  into  camp.  There  was  some  confusion  in  the 
ranks  of  the  savages.  As  the  Indians  were  tied  in 
their  saddles,  the  whites  were  not  likely  to  know 
the  number  of  killed  and  wounded.  The  Indians 
withdrew  a  little  way  just  beyond  rifle  reach  ancj 


^     SHEi^ANDOAS: ;   on,  5:he  HORIZON^S  BAit.         Il9 

seemed  to  be  holding  a  council  of  war.  They  have 
resolved  upon  some  plan,  for  they  ride  off  in  pairs 
slowly,  and  as  they  ride  they  circle  in  so  as  to  sur- 
round camp,  and  yet  be  at  equal  distances  out  of 
rifle  range. 

They  ride  faster  now  and  their  arms  are  on  the 
bow-strings. 

They  are  evidently  looking  for  a  weak  point  to 
attack. 

Nearer  and  nearer  they  draw  the  lines  of  the 
circle,  and  arrows  fall  against  the  wooden  sides  of 
the  wagons,  or  pass  through,  and  through  the  canvass 
covers  and  fall  inside  the  corral.  The  wagon-master 
now  advises  the  members  to  fire  whenever  a  good 
chance  offered. 

One  or  two  shots  have  been  fired  from  camp. 
The  balls  have  fallen  within  the  circle.  "  Aim 
higher,"  said  the  wagon-master.  Eaton  raises  his 
rifle  and  takes  good  aim  at  an  Indian — he  fires — a 
redskin  is  seen  to  throw  up  his  arms  and  fall  back 
on  his  pony  who  wheels  out  of  the  ring  and  trots 
oft  to  where  a  little  knot  of  Indians  are  standing. 

"  A  good  shot,  Mr.  Eaton,  and  on  the  wing.  You 
are  recovering  rapidly  from  the  buck  fever,"  re- 
marked the  wagon-master,  kindly. 

The  circle  is  made  larger.  The  Indians  still  con- 
tinue to  ride  around,  firing  arrows  at  intervals. 
Three  cavalrymen  are  saddling  the  horses  of  the 
soldiers  in  the  corral. 

"  I'll  dash  out  if  we  put  them  ort  the  fly,"  said 
Dumfries  to  RoUin. 

A  mule  had  been  struck  with  an  arrow,  and  was 
shrieking  and  plunging  among  the  other  animals. 


120  SHEis  ANDOAH  *    OR,    THE  lIORIZOK^S  .  BAR. 

Pedro  was  busy  with  whip  and  voice  when  an 
arrow  struck  him  in  the  breast,  and  he  fell  off  his 
his  pony.  A  couple  of  drivers  drag  the  wounded 
man  out  of  the  lire. 

The  Indians  had  found  a  weak  spot.  It  was 
the  mouth  of  the  corral,  and  they  let  fly  a  cloud  of 
arrows  in  among  the  stock,  who  jump  around  madly 
as  the  shafts  strike  them. 

Jubal  had  made  a  plunge  and  was  half  way  be- 
tween two  freight  wagons  when  a  driver  knocked 
him  back  with  the  end  of  his  rifle  ;  then  the  mule 
was  bent  on  breaking  out  and  darted  for  the  mouth 
of  the  corral.  He  was  about  to  spring  over  the  rope 
when  out  dashed  a  man  from  one  of  the  wagons 
with  a  stick  in  his  hand. 

"Tan  back  dar,  Jewball.  I'll  lam  you  ober  de 
head  wid  dis  rail." 

A  vigorous  whack  over  the  head,  and  the  king  of 
the  stampedoes  trotted  back  to  where  the  other 
animals  were  braying  and  plunging.  At  a  signal 
the  savages  all  rode  off  again  out  of  rifle  range. 
Another  council  of  war  ;  it  was  soon  determined 
whatever  may  be  the  plan,  for  they  massed  at  a  point 
opposite  the  mouth  of  the  corral. 

"  They  are  preparing  to  rush  in  upon  us  en  masse 
through  the  mouth  of  the  corral." 

''  Can  we  not  close  up  the  gap  in  any  way,"  asks 
Dumfries  of  Rollin  Vincent. 

"  I  fear  not." 

"  Who  commands  here?"  asks  Maguire,  who  stands 
with  a  rusty  musket  in  his  hand  near  the  party. 

"  Captain  Vincent,"  said  the  wagon-master. 

"  Well  thin,  captain,  I  have  a  plan.     My  wagon 


SHEN'ANDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZON'S  BAR.  121 

lays  outside  of  the  corral  on  the  right  side.  Give 
me  three  or  four  min  well  armed ;  we'll  run  out 
and  draw  it  across  the  mouth." 

"  A  good  plan  and  it  shall  be  done." 

The  wagon  of  the  ex-corporal  was  smaller  than 
the  freight  wagons  of  the  mining  company,  and 
Maguire  never  formed  in  the  corral,  but  always 
drew  up  to  right  or  left  of  one  of  the  sides  as  it 
might  happen. 

**  Who  will  volunteer,  gentlemen  ?  You  hear  the 
plan,"  said  Rollin. 

Meredith,  Pollard,  Brookes,  and  Stokes  were 
ready.  They  crawled  under  the  wagons  on  the 
right  side  of  the  corral  and  had  seized  hold  of  the 
emigrants'  wagon,  Meredith  and  Stokes  at  the  pole, 
the  others  with  their  shoulders  to  the  wheels. 

"  Gentlemen,  this  way  all  of  you,"  said  Rollin, 
who  stood  at  the  mouth  of  the  corral. 

All  started  at  the  order  save  the  party  who  were 
at  the  emigrants'  wagon. 

"  Ready  !" 

Every  rifle  was  raised. 

*'  Aim  ! — wait  for  the  word." 

The  emigrants'  wagon  was  just  rounding  the  end 
when  the  Indians  started  forward  on  the  run. 

The  wagons  was  half  way  across  the  gap. 

*'  In  the  corral  with  you,  every  man." 

Down  came  the  savages,  their  arrows  upon  a 
string. 

Now  a  whoop ! 

''  Fire !" 

The  Indians   were    thrown  into  confusion,      A 


123  SHEN'ANDOAH  ;    OR,   THE   HORIZON'S  BAR.       3-o. 

feathered  brave  mounted  on  a  large  white  horse 
rallied  them. 

Now  like  the  wind  they  ride  around  the  camp, 
the  arrows  rattle  against  the  sides  of  the  wagons  or 
tear  through  the  canvas  covers. 

Eaton  looked  at  his  horse  who  still  lay  panting 
near  the  mouth  of  the  corral ;  with  a  sigh  he  turned 
away  and  watched  the  foe. 

At  a  signal  from  the  Indian  on  the  white  horse  a 
group  who  have  remained  motionless  on  their 
ponies  while  the  others  have  been  riding  around 
the  wagons.  They  all  rode  slowly  off  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  bluff. 

"  They  have  given  it  upas  a  bad  job,  we  will  keep 
the  stock  in  the  corral  to-night.  Boys  (to  the 
drivers)  feed  the  mules  from  your  wagon  boxes," 
said  the  wagon-master. 

As  soon  as  convinced  the  enemy  had  retreated, 
RoUin  and  Harry  hastened  to  the  "  car"  where  they 
found  the  young  ladies  sitting  quietly  upon  their 
trunks.  Both  were  very  pale,  yet  they  made  no 
outward  demonstration  of  fear. 

"  Hurrah  !  the  red  devils  have  departed,"  shouted 
Harry  as  he  put  his  arms  around  Nellie  and  gave 
her  a  kiss,"  and  then  turning  to  Kate  he  saluted  her 
also.     His  cousin  made  no  resistance  this  time. 

"  Have  they  gone,  Mr.  Vincent  ?"  asked  Nellie, 
and  in  spite  of  herself,  a  tear  rolled  down  her  cheek. 

'*  Yes,  Miss  Fairleigh,  you  can  see  them  by  looking 
out ;  yes,  there  they  go,  into  the  bluffs." 

*'  Oh  you  had  a  very  narrow  escape,"  and  the  eyes 
swam  again,  and  she  reached  out  her  hands  to 
RoUin  who  held  it  fast  within  his  own. 


SHEiTANDOAH  ;    OR,   THE   HORIZON'S  BAR.  123 

"  Think  of  poor  Eaton  and  Churchill,  Kate." 
"  What  of  them  ?"  asked  the  lady,  in  alarm.     *'  Are 
they  killed  ?" 

"  No,  they  had  a  very  narrow  escape.  Churchill 
in  some  way  or  another  lost  his  horse  just  as  we 
discovered  the  Indians  in  the  valley.  In  the  hurry 
of  the  moment  no  one  saw  his  misfortune  save  Ad- 
derley,  and  he  never  said  anything  about  it  until  we 
saw  the  horse  ahead  of  us  when  we  turned  a  corner 
in  the  caiion  and  Mr.  Hallett  asked  whose  horse 
it  was,  and  Adderly  said  it  was  Churchill's,  and 
added,  it  is  a  pity,  but  we  must  leave  him,  or  some- 
thing like  that.  Before  we  knew  what  to  do  we 
could  hear  the  Indians  yelling  in  the  next  caiion, 
and  they  seemed  to  be  gaining  on  us.  Tom  Eaton 
said,  *  I'll  be  hanged,'  or  something  like  it,  '  if  we 
leave  him,'  and  off  he  started  back  after  Churchill. 
We  asked  the  wagon-master  what  we  had  best  do, 
to  remain  and  wait  for  him  or  push  on  ?  Mr.  Hal- 
lett said,  we  had  better  ride  to  the  mouth  of  the 
cafion,'  and  as  it  was  in  sight  of  camp,  those  who 
had  remained  behind  with  the  drivers  and  the  cav- 
alrymen would  see  us  and  come  to  our  rescue  ;  then 
he  said  to  have  our  rifles  ready  and  when  we  came 
out  of  the  corral  to  draw  up  and  fire  into  them  if 
they  were  near,  that  this  would  check  them  a  little, 
and  if  Eaton  and  Churchill  were  close  behind  us  it 
would  give  them  a  better  chance  to  escape.  Any- 
way, he  said,  we  would  certainly  lose  our  lives  if 
we  remained,  and  there  was  a  chance  of  all  escaping 
if  we  followed  his  advice ;  we  all  agreed  with  him 
and  we  gained  the  plains  just  as  the  Indians  came 
out  of  their  canon.     They  came  after  us  yelling  and 


124  SHEKAXDOAH  ;    OR,    THE   HORIZO]!^'S   BAR. 

shouting,  and  the  wagon-master  ordered  us  to  halt 
and  fire,  and  we  did  so,  all  save  Adderly,  who  was 
so  frightened  that  he  spurred  his  horse  harder  than 
ever  and  rode  for  camp." 

"  The  contemptible  coward,"  said  Kate,  her  hand- 
some lip  curling  with  scorn. 

All  this  time  the  little  dimpled  hand  lay  within 
the  warm  grasp  of  our  hero.  The  eyes  of  the  maiden 
were  fixed  on  her  brother,  who  seemed  in  the  midst 
of  the  fight  again. 

*'  Just  as  we  raised  our  rifles  we  saw  Eaton  and 
Churchill  mounted  on  Tom's  gray  Percy  appear  at 
the  mouth  of  the  canon  and  make  for  us  ;  we  waited 
as  long  as  we  dared,  then  the  wagon-master  said 
'  fire  !'  and  we  let  fly  at  them.  It  gave  them  a  check 
at  any  rate,  and  when  Eaton  and  Churchill  were  a 
good  distance  in  advance  we  struck  out  once  more 
for  camp  ;  just  as  we  dismounted,  in  came  the  horse 
with  his  heav}^  load,  the  boys  jumped  off  and  poor 
gray  Percy  fell  down  exhausted. 

"  The  poor  horse,"  said  Nellie  who  was  as  sym- 
pathetic as  her  brother. 

The  young  men  now  left  the  *'car"  to  attend  to 
their  horses. 

As  they  crossed  the  corral,  two  drivers  each  with 
a  gunny  bag  in  their  hands  were  rubbing  the  dying 
steed. 

The  guide  stood  near  with  his  arms  folded. 
Cicero  was  kneeling  near  the  horse's  head  sponging 
the  animal's  mouth  with  brandy. 

Churchill  and  Eaton,  both  of  them  pale  from  loss 
of  blood,  with  their  wounds  still  undressed,  were 
leaning  against  a  wagon  near  at  hand.     The  dark 


SHEi?"AJ5^D0AH  ;    OR,    THE   HORIZON'S   BAR.  125 

eye  of  the  steed,  once  so  brilliant  and  piercing,  was 
lustreless  and  heavy  now. 

"  It's  no  use  men.  It's  all  over  with  the  poor 
beast."  Eaton  looked  at  the  wagon-master  as  if  he 
hoped  for  a  contradiction ;  but  the  latter  shook  his 
head,  folded  his  arms  and  answered : 

"  I  fear  so." 

The  muscles  along  the  neck  and  chest  of  the  horse 
were  swollen  with  the  agony  of  the  late  conflict, 
and  the  w^hite  foam  lay  in  ridges  along  the  flank. 
The  dying  horse  ever  and  anon  would  raise  his 
head  and  look  about  as  if  begging  to  be  relieved 

of  pain. 

**  Poor  Percy,"  said  Tom,  his  lip  quivering  ;  "  he 
carried  me  safely  through  the  war.  Money  could 
not  have  bought  him ;  he  was  worth  his  weight  in 
gold.  My  sisters  and  brothers  used  to  pet  him, 
and  he  would  come  at  my  mother's  call.  He  did 
nothing  but  roam  the  fields  at  home.  The  old  fellow 
that  had  heard  cannons  roar  and  muskets  rattle 
would  let  the  youngsters  climb  upon  his  back  by 
seizing  hold  of  his  tail ;  he  was  as  gentle  as  a  lamb 
with  them.  Now  to  think  that  the  brave  old  horse 
— "  Tom  knelt  down  and  took  the  sponge  from 
Cicero's  hand. 

"  To  think  he  must  die,  I  can't  stand  it,"  and  the 
tears  fell  thick  and  fast.  "  Can't  you  get  up  Percy, 
try  old  fellow;  up  lad,  up!" 

The  horse  essayed  to  obey  the  command,  raised 
his  head,  gathered  his  legs  together;  the  little  crowd 
that  had  gathered  around  drew  back,  so  as  to  give 
room. 

''  Up  lad  !  " 


126  SHEXANDOAH  ;    OK,    THE    HORIZON^S  BAR. 

The  effort  was  made,  yet  the  strength  had  de- 
parted and  with  a  groan  the  legs  were  stretched 
out  and  the  head  was  laid  down  upon  the  grass 
again. 

"  He  go  soon ;  see  how  he  roll  he  eye,"  said  Cicero, 
solemnly. 

"  And  thin  look  how  pale  he  looks  in  the  face  av  j 
him,"  put  in  Maquire,  earnestly. 

The  dying  steed  raised  its  head  looked  around, 
as  if  for  some  one,  and  neighed  faintly. 

Tom  advanced  from  the  circle  of  members.  The 
horse  seemed  to  know  him,  pointed  his  ears  a  little 
then  laid  them  back  as  if  in  play,  The  tears 
streamed  down  the  face  of  the  man,  and  he  knelt 
on  one  knee  and  looked  in  the  eye  of  the  horse  as 
the  head  sank  upon  the  grass  again.  The  limbs 
stiffened  out, — a  groan  ;  the  head  was  extended  out 
so  as  to  reach  the  knee  of  the  master.  Even  to  the 
last  gasp  the  poor  beast  seemed  to  know  who  it  was 
that  was  near. 

A  low  groan. 

The  horse  was  dead. 

"  Poor  Percy ;  no  wolf  shall  feed  on  your  limbs, 
or  crows  pick  out  your  once  bright  eyes.  Who'll 
help  me  dig  a  grave?" 

''  I,"  said  Churchill,  advancing.  **  It's  the  last 
thing  I  can  do  for  the  poor  beast  that  served  me 
well  in  the  hour  of  need." 

A  grave  was  dug  a  little  way  from  camp.  The 
members  helped  to  draw  the  dead  animal  to  it,  and 
the  good  steed  was  buried  and  the  party  returned. 
To  keep  the  wolves  from  digging  the  poor  horse 


SHEITAKDOAH  ;    OR,    THE   HORIZON'S  BAR.  127 

up,  Eaton  built  a  rough  fence  around  it  during  the 
afternoon. 

Churchill  was  busy  in  his  tent.  He  borrowed  a 
saw  and  a  jack-plane  of  the  wagon-master,  and  from 
the  stores  of  the  company  he  obtained  paints  and 
brushes.  When  he  came  out  at  sunset  it  was  with 
a  head-board,  rudely  made  'tis  true,  a  white  board 
with  a  semi-circled  top,  with  black  letter.  It  was 
placed  over  the  grave.  And  to-day,  on  the  level 
plain,  near  the  Platte  River,  on  the  right  of  the 
road  between  Cottonwood  and  Jack  Morrows* 
ranch,  is  a  mound  inclosed  within  a  fence,  and  a 
board  with  the  following  inscription  : 

PERCY, 
The  Faithful  Horse 

of 

Thos.  Eaton,  of  New  York. 

Died  Sept.  ig,  1865, 
Aged  10  Years. 

And  this  head-board  is  still  seen  on  the  plains  in 

1868. 


CHAPTER   XVI. 

THE     STAMPEDE. 

It  had  been  unusually  warm  in  the  morning.  At 
noon  the  heat  was  so  intense  that  the  member  of 
the  mining  company  were  loathe  to  mount  their 
horses  and  they  did  not  resume  their  journey  until 
late  in  the  atternoon.  The  road  was  dusty  for  the 
travel  in  and  about  Juiesburg  was  very  great  at 


128       she^-andoah;  or,  the  horizon^'s  bar. 

this  season  and  great  clouds  of  dust  rose  from  the 
shuffling  feet  of  the  tired  animals.  Adderly  found 
refuge  from  the  rays  of  the  sun  in  a  wagon  where 
both  he  and  Churchill  kept  their  effects.  He  was 
little  inclined  to  take  upon  himself  anything  like 
exertion  or  fatigue.  The  faces  of  members  and 
drivers  were  begrimed  with  dust  and  they  resem- 
bled with  their  sunburnt  faces  the  savages  whose 
fierce  encounter  they  had  recently  passed.  Here 
and  there  along  the  road  wagon  trains  were  cor- 
ralled and  at  every  such  resting  place  the  mules  of 
our  mining  party,  believing  that  they  were  unduly 
persecuted,  sent  up  piteous  and  far-resounding 
brays.  The  wagon-master  was  desirous  of  pushing 
on  to  a  point  where  he  said  that  he  knew  that  the 
grass  was  good  and  high  and  the  water  clear  and 
sparkling.  Such  place  was  soon  after  reached,  and 
with  a  loud  hurrah  the  members  saw  the  wagon- 
master  turn  from  the  road  upon  a  green  plateau  to 
the  right  of  it  and  slip  his  saddle  and  bridle  off  his 
mule,  which  was  the  signal  readily  understood  by 
the  members  that  this  was  the  camping-ground  for 
the  night. 

Old  Bet  was  too  tired  to  strav  to  the  river  bank, 
but  took  a  refreshing  roll  in  the  dust  of  the  road. 
"  This  terrible  heat  surelv  foretells  a  thunder- 
storm,"  said  Hallett  to  the  members  as  they  were 
driving  in  the  stakes  of  their  tents.  "  Be  sure  and 
drive  them  down  well,  because  your  houses  may 
be  down  on  your  heads  before  the  night  is  over.'* 
Dinner  was  hastily  prepared  and  thoroughly  en- 
joyed by  the  tired  gold  seekers.  The  members 
had  lit  their  pipes  and  were  sitting  or  reclining  in 
picturesque  attitudes  about  the  corral  when  ^  (ar» 


SfiDl^'ANDOAil  ;    OR,   ME  HOEtZOK^S  BAR.  129 

off  rumbling  sound  was  heard,  and  the  members 
looked  up  into  each  others  faces  inquiringly.  ''  I 
thought  so,"  quietly  remarked  the  wagon-master, 
*'  this  is  the  beginning  of  the  storm."  In  less  than 
a  quarter  of  an  hour,  the  heavens  grew  black,  the 
trees  along  the  river  bank  swayed  to  and  fro,  and 
the  tempest  burst  in  fury  upon  the  camp.  Tents 
were  blown  down,  camp-kettles  and  cooking-uten- 
sils were  blown  hither  and  thither,  rain  came  down 
in  torrents,  and  the  thunder  was  incessant.  The 
members  good-humoredly  gathered  up  their  flying 
camp  equipage,  and  endeavored  in  the  pelting  rain- 
storm to  erect  the  tents  which  had  been  blown 
down.  The  wagon-master  had  disappeared  ;  he  re- 
turned, however,  in  a  few  moments  and  said  to 
Brooks  that  he  had  given  the  herder  additional 
orders  in  reference  to  the  stock  for  at  such  time  the 
animals  were  likely  to  stampede.  The  storm  still 
raged  with  great  fury  ;  the  thunder  was  terrific,  and 
after  a  peal  which  had  caused  the  members  to  gaze 
at  each  other  in  wonderment,  there  was  a  peculiar 
sound  which  caused  the  wagon-master  to  jump  up 
from  the  box  upon  which  he  was  sitting  in  Fair- 
leigh's  tent  and  exclaim,  ''  it  is  as  I  thought ;  they 
have  stampeded."  By  the  wise  forethought  of  the 
wagon-master  a  half  dozen  horses  had  been  placed 
within  the  corral ;  these  animals  by  some  instinct 
seemed  to  know  that  of  the  fiying  herd,  for  either 
that  or  the  terrific  war  of  the  elements  had  made 
them  extremely  restive.  "  Mount,  mount,"  said  the 
wagon-master,  "  and  after  them." 

To  mount  and  saddle  the  horses  was  the  work  of 
a  I'ew  moments.  The  wagon-master  leaped  in  the 
saddle  of  one  of  the  horses  and  assuming  command, 


130  SHEKAKDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  SORlZON^'s  BAB. 

led  the  way  for  Brooks,  Meredith,  Fairleigh,  Vin- 
cent and  Dakin,  and  they  hastened  after  the  flying 
animals.  It  was  a  mad  chase  with  the  young  men 
far  in  the  rear.  After  an  exciting  race  four  or  five 
miles,  the  wild  animals  Avere  overtaken.  A  hot 
race  ensued  to  reach  the  foremost  or  leading  spirit  of 
the  stampede.  This  proved  to  be — ignoble  thought 
— a  mule.  When  the  wagon-master,  who  had  been  in 
the  lead  of  the  members  had  outstripped  the  stam- 
peders,  he  turned  in  his  saddle  with  extraordinary 
quickness  and  swinging  his  long  black  whip  about, 
descended  on  the  flank  of  the  escaping  rebel  with 
such  force  as  to  extract  from  him  a  snort  of  defeat 
and  surprise,  for  he  threw  himself  back  upon  his 
haunches  and  seemed  to  be  willing  to  give  his 
parole  for  future  good  behavior.  Their  leader's 
tactics,  the  balance  of  the  herd  soon  followed,  and 
in  a  few  moments  they  were  trotting  back  to  camp 
as  gentle  as  kittens. 

"I  wonder  what  caused  them  to  run?"  inquired 
Vincent  of  the  wagon-master  as  they  rode  abreast 
to  camp.  *'  I  cannot  tell.  A  trifle  will  stampede  a 
herd,  a  leaf  blown  by  the  wind,  a  little  dog,  a  thunder- 
storm," and  then  adding  slowly,  "  a  man.  This  time 
I  believe  it  was  a  man,  a  renegade,  who  well  knows 
the  movements  of  the  train." 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

"A     STEED     CAME     AT     NIGHT.*' 

It  was  quite  dark  when  the  party  returned  to 
the  train,  saddles  and  bridles  slipped  off,  and  the 
members  once  more  retired  to  rest. 


SHENAKDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZOJ^^S  BAR.  131 

Meredith,  who  was  on  guard,  came  to  Vincent  as 
the  latter  entered  his  tent.  "  I  hear  an  unusual 
noise  down  by  the  river  bank,  and  I  have  heard  it 
for  some  time;  I  wish  you  Avould  come  with  me 
and  ascertain  what  it  is."  Together  they  crept 
noiselessly  down  by  the  river  bank.  The  calm  sun 
face  of  the  water  carried  the  sounds  across  like  g 
telephone.  Strange  voices,  the  unintelligible  sound 
of  Indian  gutturals  ;  then  came  a  caution  in  English 
*'  Be  quiet  there !"  This  unusual  occurrence  was 
reported  to  Hallett,  Avho  at  once  repaired  to  the 
river  bank.  Ere  he  had  reached  it,  the  party  was 
surprised  to  see  a  small  ball  of  fire  rise  in  the  air 
from  the  bluffs  facing  them,  then  another  and  an- 
other, as  if  they  had  been  sent  from  a  firework 
known  as  a  roman  candle.  ''  It  is  either  the  troops 
at  Julesburg  signalling  some  scouting  party  or  else 
it  is  Indian  and  half-breed  deviltry  ^s  big  as  a 
wood  chuck.  Captain  Vincent  you  better  redouble 
the  guard,  and  I  will  bring  the  herd  in  nearer  to 
the  camp  and  in  the  corral  if  necessary." 

The  mysterious  signals  and  the  strange  words  of 
the  wagon-master  as  to  the  stampede  puzzled  Rol- 
lin  Vincent.  Who  was  the  renegade,  and  why  was 
it  one  who  well  knew  the  movements  of  the  train  ? 
Constantly  they  recurred  to  his  mind,  and  he  fell 
into  a  broken  rest  undisturbed  bv  dreams  of  alarms, 
surprises,  and  cattle  flying  over  the  plains. 

About  midnight  he  was  awakened  by  hearing  in 
the  distance  the  sound  of  horses'  hoofs ;  the  sound 
came  nearer,  and  throwing  aside  the  flap  of  his  tent 
he  saw  a  horseman  dismount  near  the  mouth  of  the 
corral.     The  storm   had  cleared    away.    It  was 


13S  SHEKANCOAS  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZOlif^S  BAR. 

bright  moonlight.  Pritchard  was  on  guard  near 
the  centre  of  the  camp,  and  at  once  with  his  rifle 
across  his  shoulder  advanced  to  where  the  stranger 
was  busily  engaged  in  tightening  his  saddle-girth. 
"  Pardner,"  said  the  man,  "  I've  jest  bin  up  with 
bo3^s  at  the  '  burg  *  (Julesburg)  an'  hed  a  racket ; 
got  my  tank  filled  fer  a  week;  my  outfit  is  jest 
down  the  road  a  piece.  Kinder  lost  my  way,  my 
saddle  began  to  slip  and  I  stopped  to  fasten  it  up. 
I  got  some  Red  Jacket  Bitters ;  here,  take  a  little, 
do  3^ou  good,  for  the  night  is  chilly."  These  broken 
sentences  were  uttered  between  hiccoughs.  Vin- 
cent watched  the  proceedings  anxiously.  Nor  was 
he  alone  in  this  regard.  Beneath  a  wagon,  on 
a  rubber  blanket  with  a  saddle  for  his  pillow,  the 
wagon-master  observed  the  scene.  The  captain, 
with  no  little  surprise,  saw  Pritchard  place  the  bot- 
tle to  his  lips.  *'  I  say,  boss,"  continued  the  stran- 
ger, "  what  kind  of  an  outfit  is  this,  anyway  ?" 
Some  of  it  looks  like  a  manufacturing  town,  steam- 
engines  and  bilers,  and  you  fellers  look  like  soljers 
in  disguise  (hie)."  "  It's  a  mining  company,"  inno- 
centl}^    replied    Pritchard.      *' Got    much    stock?" 

*'  Yes,"  was  the  response,  "  most  every  member  has 
his  horse  and  every   wagon  six  or  eight  mules." 

*'  Take  another  drink,"  said  the  stranger.  "  That's 
the  best  stuff  that  you  can  git  on  the  plain  (hie). 
"  How  far  are  you  going  ?"  inquired  the  man.  Hal- 
lett  here  rose  and  started  for  the  pair  in  the  mouth 
of  the  corral.  As  he  did  so,  Vincent,  who  also 
thought  the  conversation  had  proceeded  far  enough, 
came  out  of  his  tent.  "  My  friend,  said  Hallett 
quietly  to  the  stranger,  *'  the  best  thing  that  you 


SHEXANDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZON^S  BAR.  133 

can  do  is  to  mount  your  horse  and  go  to  your 
train."  '*  I  will  go  when  I  get  damned  good  and 
ready,"  answered  the  man,  "and  don't  you  forget 
it."  "  Perhaps  you  will  go  before,"  said  the  wagon- 
master  quietly. 

Heretofore  the  man  had  been  busy  fumbling 
around  the  saddle-girths  of  his  horse,  tightening  or 
pretending  to  tighten  the  straps.  Now  he  turned 
around  and  for  the  first  time  Vincent  and  Hallett  had 
a  good  look  at  him.  He  was  dressed  in  a  red  flannel 
shirt  open  at  the  neck,  around  which  was  loosely 
tied  a  silk  handkerchief.  His  trousers  of  buckskin 
were  thrust  in  the  top  of  his  boots ;  in  a  belt  about 
his  waist  was  a  navy  revolver ;  sharp  black  eyes 
seemed  to  sparkle  from  under  bushy  eyebrows  and 
his  face  was  hardly  seen  through  an  enormous 
black  beard.  *'  I  command  you,"  said  the  wagon- 
master,  "  to  quit  this  camp,  and  I  give  j^ou  five  min- 
utes to  do  it  in."  The  w^agon-master  gave  a 
peculiar  whistle ;  the  stranger  put  his  hand  upon 
his  pistol,  drew  it,  and  ere  he  could  cock  it  a  blow 
from  Vincent  laid  him  at  his  feet.  Enraged  and 
stunned  from  the  effects  of  the  blow,  the  man  was 
upon  his  feet  again  like  a  cat,  but  as  he  arose  the 
drivers  who  had  answered  the  whistle  of  the 
wagon-master  had  caught  him  from  behind  and 
securely  held  him.  "  Bind  him  to  a  wagon-wheel," 
was  the  wagon-master's  next  order.  To  force  him 
back  to  one  of  the  wagons  and  securely  pinion  him, 
was  the  work  of  but  a  few  moments.  "  Search 
him,"  was  the  next  command.  The  stranger  was 
furious  and  fairly  foamed  with  rage  as  he  sought  to 
break  loose  from  the  cords  which  securely  held 


134  SHEKAKDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZON^^S  BAIl. 

him  to  the  wagon-wheels.     "  You  white  livered  old 
scoundrel,"  said  he  to  Hallett.     "  I'll  pay  you  for 
this ;  and  you  young  feller  (turning  to  Vincent),  for 
this  blow,  if  I  have  to  roast  in  hell  for  it."     Every 
sign  of   pretended    drunkenness  had   disappeared. 
"  Surely  I  know  that  voice,  said  the  wagon-rnaster, 
and  advancing  closer  to  the  stranger  he  gazed  at 
him  narrowly.     With  a  sudden  movement  he  caught 
hold  of  his  beard,  and  with  a  quick  jerk  tore  it  off, 
and  stepping  back  with  the  disguise  in  his  hand, 
said,  "  Bent,  the  renegade,  as  I  live."     ''  Yes,  was 
the  response,  and   what  are  you  going  to  do  with 
me  ?"  (boastingly).     ''  I  have  done  nothing  to  you  ; 
you've  got  no  charge  agin  me."     *'  Search   him," 
said  the  wagon-master,  the  search  having  been  de- 
layed by  this  incident.     Two  drivers  commenced 
the  process.    Nothing  was  discovered  in  his  pockets 
and  further  search  was   about  to   be   abandoned, 
when  Vincent  said  ''  search  his  boots."     The  driver 
who  attempted  to  pull  off  Bent's  boot  received  a 
kick  in  the  face  from  the  renegade,  which  laid  the 
man  sprawling  on  the  ground.     "  See  here,  Bent," 
said  the  wagon-master,  "  if  you  attempt  any  further 
nonsense  I  will  give  you  no  better  chance  for  life, 
than  I  would  give  a  mad  dog.     I'll  keep  you  to 
that   wagon-wheel   and    riddle    you   with   bullets. 
While  I  have  no  charge  against  you,  I  admit,   I 
would  be   justified   in   killing   you   as    I   would  a 
hyena."     When  one  of  his  boots  was  pulled  off,  in 
it  was  found  a  ronian  candle,  a  long  sheath  knife 
and  a  box  of  matches.     "  Where  did  you  get  that 
Roman  candle  from  ?"  inquired  the  wagon-master. 
"  I  got  it  at  the  Burg ;  it  was  left  over  from  4th  of 


SHEifAKDOAH  ;    On,   THE  ttORIZOX^S  BAR.  135 

July."  '^  And  3^ou  have  kept  it  in  your  pocket 
ever  since."  "  Bent,"  continued  the  wagon-master 
slowly,  "  I  believe  that  you  lie,  and  that  its  mate 
was  fired  off  by  some  of  your  Indian  friends  this 
very  night  on  the  ether  side  of  the  river ;  it  is  some 
deviltry  of  yours."  "  I  aint  dealing  with  the  Injuns 
anymore,  I'm  doing  a  good  square  ranch  business 
doAvn  on  the  Smoky  Hill,"  was  the  reply.  The 
wagon-master  shook  his  head.  The  other  boot  was 
taken  off  the  prisoner,  and  as  it  was  being  done,  the 
renegade  protested  vehemently,  that  there  was 
nothing  in  it ;  that  it  was  a  hard  boot  to  take  on 
and  off ;  but  as  it  was  held  up  aloft  a  piece  of  paper 
dropped  from  it  which  was  read  by  Vincent  and 
the  wagon-master  by  the  light  of  the  lamp.  It  was 
written  in  lead  pencil,  and  contained  these  words : 

"  You  ought  to  do  it  as  soon  as  3^ou  can  so  as  to 
leave  the  impression  that  it  was  done  by  the  In- 
dians ;  if  you  can  run  off  the  stock  it  will  be  an  easy 
matter  to  gobble  the  whole  train.  There  is  a  good 
deal  of  money  in  this  party,  and  in  the  treasury  of 
it.     Frank." 

''  Where  did  you  get  this  from,"  said  the  wagon- 
master.  "  Why,  that's  a  bisiness  letter  that  I  got 
last  fall  down  on  the  Smoky  Hill.  It's  a  square 
deal ;  I  was  goin*  to  buy  an  outfit  out."  The 
wagon-master  laughed  scornfully.  ''  Bent,"  said 
the  wagon-master,  I  ought  to  turn  you  over  to  the 
Garrison  at  Julesburg,  to  be  dealt  with,  but  as  you 
came  from  that  direction,  I  don't  know  that  there 
is  any  charge  against  you  there,  and  as  I  have  none 
to  make  against  you,  I  will  let  you  go,  but  with 
this  understanding.     That  if  you  ever  make  jour 


136  SHEi^-AKDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORlZOK^S  BAR. 

appearance  in  this  camp  again  while  its  on  the 
plains,  you  never  will  come  out  of  it  alive.  Unbind 
him!" 

"  Give  me  back  that  letter,  it  doesn't  concern 
3^ou,"  said  Bent.  *'  No,"  said  the  wagon-m»aster, 
folding  it  and  putting  it  in  his  breast;  ''it  is  evi- 
dence against  the  common  enemy  of  mankind. 
"  This,"  said  Hallett,  turning  to  Vincent,  and  with 
peculiar  emphasis,  "may  be  useful  hereafter." 

Bent  at  once  mounted  his  horse.  ''  Look  at  his 
pistol  and  see  if  it  is  loaded,"  said  the  wagon-mas- 
ter to  the  driver,  "  before  you  hand  it  back  to  him." 

The  man  discharged  five  shots  into  the  air  and  then 
handed  the  smoking  pistol  back  to  the  man,  who 
mounted  his  horse  and  rode  slowly  out  of  the  cor- 
rall.  "  So  you  have  euchered  me  this  time,"  said 
Bent,  turning,  and  his  face  pale  with  rage.  "  When 
you  searched  me  why  didn't  you  take  these  cart- 
ridges from  ray  breast  pocket."  With  the  quick- 
ness of  thought  he  slipped  a  cartridge  into  his  pis- 
tol, wheeled  in  his  saddle  as  he  rode  onward,  and  a 
bullet  whistled  harmlessly  by  the  ear  of  Hallett, 
and  then  Bent,  the  renegade,  was  lost  in  the  dark- 
ness. 

CHAPTER   XVIII. 

DRIFTING    ABOUT. 

"  Well,  young  gentleman,"  said  Hallett,  who  as 
usual,  was  riding  in  advance  of  the  train,  "  I  see 
your  scalps  are  still  in  your  own  keeping.  1  would 
not  advise  riding  so  far  away  from  the  train.  It 
may  be  attended  with  ill-fortune  some  time." 


SHENANDOAH  ;    OR,    THE   HORIZON'S   BAR.  137 

*^  Do  you  think  the  Indians  lurk  around  the  road 
still?"  asked  Harr3^ 

"  I  have  my  own  opinion.  The  scouts  from  Fort 
Kearney  said  they  had  gone  to  the  Smoky  Hill 
country.  It's  too  soon  for  the  buffalo  to  go  south, 
and  where  they  muster  you  are  pretty  sure  to  find 
Indians.  Buffalo  meat  is  about  all  they  have  to  live 
upon,  and  it  keeps  them  busy  about  all  the  time  to 
get  it." 

''  There  is  antelope,"  remarked  Harry. 

"  Yes,  but  buffalo  is  the  main  stay." 

*'  When  will  we  find  antelope?"  inquired  Rollin. 

"  We  are  in  as  good  a  place  now  as  any  I  know 
of  on  the  road.  I  was  thinking  that  if  we  pass  Cot- 
tonwood to-night  we  could  afford  to  lay  over  one 
day  and  have  an  antelope-hunt.  It  will  give  a  day's 
rest  to  the  mules.  In  fact,"  added  the  guide,  "it 
will  be  good  entertainment,  and  rest  for  man  and 
beast." 

Harry  asked  the  other  members,  who  were  riding 
just  behind  them,  if  they  agreed  to  halt  one  day, 
and  they  were  all  in  favor  of  "  chasing  the  antelope 
over  the  plain." 

"  Harry  Fairleigh  ?"  said  Tom  Eaton. 

"  What  is  it,  noble  heart?" 

**  It's  deuced  rom.antic  to  hunt,  but  for  fear  of 
meeting  larger  game,  have  somebody  go  out  and 
drive  up  the  antelopes  near  the  wood  so  as  not  to 
be  out  of  sight  of  the  telegraph  poles.  I  have  a 
great  interest  in  the  Western  Union  Telegraph 
Company,  and  hope  their  poles  extend  over  our 
entire  journey,  for  when  I  see  them  I  feel  safe." 

When  the  train  halted  for  dinner,  Rollin  offered 


138  SHENANDOAH  ;    OR,    THE   HORIZON'S  BAE. 

Mr.  Fairleigh,  senior,  the  use  of  his  horse  for  the 
afternoon.  The  gentleman  accepted,  and  our  hero, 
whose  heart  was  hghter  than  usual,  walked  along 
b}^  the  side  of  the  road. 

"  Did  you  meet    lieutenant-colonel  Hoyt  of   the 
i6th  Kansas  Cavalry  while  at  Leavenworth  ?"  asked 
Eaton  of  Meredith,  as  they  rode  along,  puffing  white '^ 
rings  out  in  the  air. 

"  I  did  not." 

*'  Then  you  missed  seeing  one  of  the  best  fellows 
that  ever  wore  shoulder-straps.  He  came  up  to  see 
me  when  I  was  at  the  Fort  recovering  from  my 
wound.  We  formed  quite  a  friendship.  He  is  as 
brave  as  a  lion,  and  as  true  as  he  is  brave.  He  was 
the  counsel  of  John  Brown  at  Harper's  Ferr3^  He 
came  west  after  the  execution  of  the  old  man;  and 
when  the  w^ar  broke  out  he  was  practising  law  in 
Kansas.  He  left  his  office  and  enlisted  as  a  private 
in  one  of  the  first  regiments,  and  worked  his  w-ay 
up.     He  is  very  young,  yet  his  men  idolize  him." 

"  Don't  let  me  hear  any  more  stories  of  that  kind 
about  you  in  the  future,"  said  his  wife,  interrupting. 

*'  Well,  as  I  was  saying,  we  quaffed  the  flowing 
bowl  until  the  air  grew  balmy,  and  in  high  spirits 
we  came  down  to  the  citv.  While  passing  through 
the  market  we  heard  a  couple  of  '  old  clo '  dealers 
talking. 

*' '  Shacob,'  said  one,  '  I  did  a  big  trade  to-day.  I 
sold  a  nigger — *  i 

"  The  colonel  did  not  wait  to  have  him  finish  the 
sentence. 

"  '  Sold  a  negro.  Here  in  the  streets  of  Leaven- 
worth !     You  scoundrel.* 


SHENANDOAH  ;    OR,    THE  HORIZOK^S  BAR.  139 

''  The  recollection  of  that  brave  old  man  whose 
spirit  still  goes  '  marching  on '  flashed  through  his 
mind.  Before  I  could  stop  him,  he  was  after  the 
*  old  clo '  man.  *  Sell  a  nigger  in  these  days  will 
you?'  he  shouted,  and  then  began  the  chase. 

"  '  No  ;  I  didn't  sell  the  nigger,  but  old  pants — old 
pants,'  said  the  terrified  man,  as  he  dodged  behind 
stalls  and  over  barrels,  then  into  the  street,  when 
the  colonel  gave  up  the  pursuit. 

"Just  then  the  other  'old  clo'  'feller*  came  up 
and  said :  '  Dat  man  he  only  sell  a  nigger  a  pair  of 
pantaloons,  dat's  all.'  The  colonel  looked  at  me, 
then  at  the  man,  wiped  his  forehead  with  his  hand- 
kerchief, and  broke  out  with  : 

"  '  Great  Jupiter,  where  can  we  get  to  out  of 
sight  quickest?'  and  we  availed  ourselves  of  the 
open  door  of  the  Planters'  House  in  a  hurry.  He 
told  me  a  good  story  about  poor  Artemas  Ward 
when  he  lectured  at  Leavenworth.  The  colonel 
was  invited  to  preside  and  to  introduce  the  lecturer 
to  the  audience.  Artemas,  I  believe,  was  born  in 
the  same  village  with  the  colonel.  They  had  played 
together  in  boyhood,  and  were  of  course  great 
friends.  Ward  had  just  come  off  from  the  plains  ; 
and  you  remember,  to  give  him  a  little  notoriety, 
some  of  the  papers  while  he  was  away  had  said 
that  Artemas  had  been  captured  by  the  Indians, 
and  that  while  prisoner  he  let  fly  one  of  his  *  goaks  * 
in  the  presence  of  a  chief  who  understood  English, 
and  it  is  said  the  Indian  roared  with  laughter,  gave 
him  his  freedom,  furnished  him  wnth  an  escort  to 
the  nearest  military  camp.  When  he  bid  the  show- 
man '  adoo,'  the  chief  could  not  resist  the  temptation 


140  SHENAKDOAH  ;    OK,   THE  HORIZON'S  BAR. 

to  take  a  lock  of  his  hair  to  remember  him  by,  so 
he  scalped  the  joker  to  obtain  a  souvenir.  Of 
course  the  story  was  '  all  bosh,'  yet  it  went  the 
rounds  of  the  newspapers. 

"  Artemas  arrived  in  Leavenworth.  Now  if  there 
was  anything  the  humorist  was  proud  of  it  was  his 
hair,  and  he  really  had  a  fine  head  of  curly  auburn 
hair.  The  night  of  the  lecture  he  had  gotten  himself 
up  regardless  of  expense,  his  hair  had  been  curled 
and  oiled,  and  he  looked  as  gay  as  the  '  festive  cuss ' 
he  used  so  often  to  speak  of. 

*'  The  hall  was  crowded  with  people.  Colonel 
Hoyt  arrived  with  the  lecturer,  and  both  gentlemen 
ascended  the  platform,  took  their  seats,  and  after  a 
prelude  of  music,  Colonel  Hoyt  said : 

" '  Ladies  and  Gentlemen, — It  is  my  pleasing  dutv 
to  introduce  to  you  the  lecturer  of  the  evening, 
Artemas  Ward — [great  applause].  While  Mr. Ward 
was  upon  the  plains,  it  was  his  misfortune  to  fall 
into  the  hands  of  the  merciless  savage,  who  spared 
his  life  but  tore  from  his  hgad  the  hyperion  curls 
that  I  had  so  often  admired  in  the  days  of  our  boy- 
hood. The  wig  that  he  has  on  this  evening  is  kindly 
furnisJied  by  tJie  well-known  barber  of  tJie  Planters' 
House,  The  piano  used  on  the  occasion  is  from  the 
warerooms  of  Messrs.  Smith  &  Jones.' 

''  There  was  one  loud  shout  in  that  hall ;  many 
understood  the  joke.  A  great  many,  however,  did 
not  appreciate  it ;  among  the  rest  was  Artemas, 
who  darted  a  fiery  glance  at  the  colonel,  and  began 
his  lecture.  He  would  not  foro:ive  him  for  a  lonsf 
time ;  but  at  last,  as  nobody  could  be  angry  with 


SHEITAN^DOAH  ;    OR,   THE   HORIZON'S   BAR.  141 

the  colonel  long,  it  was  all  made  up  and  they  be- 
came warmer  friends  than  even" 

'*  Aha,  captain  dear — on  foot  to-day,  are  ye — will 
ye  take  a  seat  beside  the  corporal?  Yees,  thin. 
Whoa,  Blossom,  ye  divil ! — are  ye  all  right?  go  on 
now,  ye  horses  wid  the  long  ears  and  two  tails," 
said  Larry  Maguire  to  Captain  Vincent. 

**  Well,  corporal,  how  are  your  broken  ribs?" 

*'  All  right,  nivir  mind  it.  Many  is  the  tumble  an' 
the  kick  a  man  gets  in  the  cavalry ;  Captain,  what 
foine  days  this  day  do  be;  do  you  feel  the  smell 
of  the  flowers?"  continued  the  blunderer.  "An  thin 
aint  it  quare  in  the  morning  to  hear  the  little  invisi- 
ble birds  singin  on  the  imperceptible  trees — bedad 
but  its  quare." 

"  Oh  they  sit  in  the  grass." 

"  It's  a  quare  country,  anyway ;  divil  a  stick  of 
timber  as  big  as  a  match  have  I  seen  since  we  left 
Fort  Kearney,  only  the  rotten  bushes  at  Plum  Creek. 
What  will  they  do  with  this  country  at  all  ?  People 
havin  to  make  log  cabins  out  of  mud." 

Just  behind  them  was  the  first  wagon  of  the  min- 
ing company.     It  was  the  "  car  "  of  Nellie  and  Kate. 

''  Are  the  ladies  at  home,  Jim  ?" 

"  I  will  see,  sir.  Young  ladies  will  you  receive 
Captain  Vincent,"  said  Jim,  who  was  coachman, 
footman,  and  maid-of-all-work. 

*' Yes,  James,  show  the  gentleman  up,"  replied 
Kate  with  a  merry  laugh. 

The  wagon   stopped  and  our  hero  entered  the 


"  car." 


The  young  ladies  were  reading,  and  they  laid 
aside  their  books. 


142         SHEXANDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZON'S  BAR. 

"  We  are  near  Cottonwood,  ladies,  yonder  is  the 
bridge,"  said  Jim,  pointing  with  his  finger. 

Cottonwood,  a  small  frontier  town  is  on  the  South 
Fork  of  the  Platte  River,  about  one  hundred  miles 
west  of  Fort  Kearney.  At  this  time  it  comprised 
six  or  seven  stores,  two  blacksmith  shops,  three  sa- 
loons, and  a  saddle  and  harness  shop.  Then  there 
were  the  government  buildings  within  the  stockade. 
There  is  but  one  street,  the  road  running  east  and 
Avest  through  the  town.  The  buildings  were  built 
mainly  of  wood,  with  here  and  there  a  hut  of  sod. 
The  train  halted  for  a  few  minutes,  to  allow  mem- 
bers to  post  letters,  drivers  to  buy  whips  and  lashes 
at  the  well-stocked  store  where  the  post-office  is 
located. 

"There  is  to  be  an  antelope  hunt  to-morrow, 
ladies,"  RoUin  remarked  when  the  train  was  once 
more  rolling  on. 

"  Indeed  I  am  glad ;  there  is  a  prospect  then  of 
having  something  good  to  eat." 

''  Kate,"  said  Nellie,  "  I  am  ashamed  of  you." 

"  Why  ?     Because  I  like  to  eat  good  things?" 

"  Mr.  Vincent  are  you  to  be  one  of  the  hunters  ?" 

RoUin  said  he  did  not  know  as  yet. 

*' I  wonder  if  Mr.  Eaton  is  going?''  asked  Kate 
with  a  smile,  "  if  he  does,  I  am  sure  that  there  will 
be  hunting — perhaps  for  a  telegraph  pole." 

Tom  Eaton  belonged  to  the  mess  of  which  the 
young  ladies  were  members;  at  first,  Jim  used 
to  carr}^  their  meals  to  their  wagon  or  ''car,"  but 
Kate  said  one  day  that  she  would  not  trouble 
him,  and  the  young  ladies  made  their  appearance 
at  the  dinner  table  of  ''  our  mess,"  and  every  day 


SHEIS^ANDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZOK^S  BAR.  143 

after  that  they  graced  the  board,  the  top  of  the 
mess-chest  rather,  with  their  presence.  The  young 
gentlemen  were  delighted  to  have  them,  and  the 
only  two  china  plates  and  cups  (for  all  the  rest  of 
the  silverware  was  made  of  tin)  was  placed  on  the 
table  for  them.  Tom,  who  was  very  entertaining 
and  always  in  good  spirits,  and  Miss  Ferris  began 
to  grow  very  well  acquainted  and  the  lady  laughed 
very  heartily  at  him  when  he  came,  after  the  buffalo 
hunt,  and  told  the  story  of  his  misfortunes  himself. 

The  train  halted  about  four  miles  from  Cotton- 
wood and  corralled  on  a  beautiful  plain  within  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  river. 

RoUin  bid  the  ladies  good-afternoon,  and  sprang 
from  the  wagon  just  as  Mr.  Fairleigh,  senior, 
rode  up  with  his  horse.  "  I  have  had  a  splendid 
ride,  thanks  be  to  you  for  it,  Captain  Vincent." 

**  I  am  sorry  I  did  not  think  of  offering  her  to 
you  before — she  is  at  your  service  whenever  you 
care  to  ride." 

Mr.  Fairleigh  entered  the  "  car." 

"Aha,  you  did  not  see  me  on  horseback?" 

"  Captain  Vincent's  horse  rides  as  easy  as  a  rock- 
ing-horse ;  and  'pon  my  word,  but  Hike  the  young 
man  the  more  I  know  of  him." 

Miss  Fairleigh  bent  down  her  head  and  looked 
over  her  work-basket  for  something  she  did  not 
seem  to  find. 

"  Nellie,  don't  bend  your  head  down  so  low,  it 
makes  3^our  face  very  red,"  said  her  father,  as  he 
winked  slyly  at  Kate. 


144  SHENANDOAH;    OR,  THE  HORIZON'S  BAR. 


CHAPTER    XIX. 

"When  thou  shalt  see  a  darksome  man." — Scott. 

Frank  Adderly  came  among  the  members  of 
the  mining  company  almost  an  entire  stranger. 

Churchill  introduced  and  vouched  for  him.  Ad- 
derly purchased  a  share  of  the  stock,  entitled  there- 
fore under  the  rules  to  all  the  privileges  of  mem- 
bership. He  had  not  made  many  friends  during 
the  journey.  There  was  something  forbidding  in 
his  face,  repelling  you  at  first,  yet  a  certain  pleasing 
manner  at  times  that  found  favor  with  many,  and 
you  were  in  doubt  as  to  whether  you  liked  him  or 
not.  His  easy  address,  good  language,  revealed 
culture  and  the  society  of  gentlemen.  Fifty-five 
years  of  age,  but  modern  appliances  in  his  skilled 
hand  fought  well  against  the  ravages  of  time  and 
dissipation.  His  eyes  were  small,  close  together 
and  loxy ;  his  nose  straight,  sharp  and  hawky,  while 
his  form  was  tall,  lean  and  rapier  like.  So  very 
thin,  and  so  bloodless  his  face  that  he  often  de- 
clared he  made  the  trip  more  to  improve  his  health 
than  to  increase  his  revenue.  One  very  noticeable 
bad  trait  caused  the  men  of  the  company  to  shun 
him, — an  entire  lack  of  faith  in  anything  good  or 
true.  He  did  not  think  the  company  would  prove 
successful — "  Thousands  of  money  spent,  and  just 
as  you  begin  the  game  you  strike  the  caprock  anvil, 
and  away  you  go, — busted." 

As  he  was  as  skeptical  about  everything,  so  was 


T^C 


SHENAK'DOAS  ;    OR,   THE  IIORIZOX'S  BAR.  145 

he  about  everybody.  No  wonder  the  members 
of  the  mining  company  gave  him  a  "  wide  berth." 
At  first,  however,  remembering  that  ''  stranger  is  a 
holy  name,"  they  tried  to  make  him  feel  at  ease 
among  them.  One  evening  as  they  sat  around  the 
camp-fire  before  the  train  had  reached  the  Little 
Blue,  Adderly  proposed  to  Eaton  and  Stokes  to 
have  a  game  of  "  euchre." 

"  I'll  take  Churchill  for  my  partner,  and  you  play 
against  us,''  said  Adderl3\  Cards  were  produced, 
a  table  was  made  of  a  mess-chest,  and  the  game 
began. 

Stokes  and  Eaton  were  considered  good  players 
yet  they  lost  game  after  game.  The  good-natured 
Tom  endured  defeat  for  a  long  time  with  patience 
and  pleasantly.  At  last  he  began  to  suspect  "  foul 
play,"  and  he  watched  Adderly  closely.  Suddenly 
he  laid  down  his  cards,  remarking,  as  he  fixed  his 
eyes  on  Adderly  and  Churchill :  '*  Gentlemen,  I 
don't  care  to  play  any  more,"  and  rose  from  the 
table. 

He  was  not  asked  for  an  explanation,  nor  did  he 
offer  any,  though  he  evidently  had  good  reasons  for 
his  course.  It  was  not  from  fear,  for  Eaton,  though 
something  of  a  "  lady's  man,"  and  a  dandy,  was  a 
plucky  brave  man  withal,  and  one  blow  from  his 
strong  arm  would  have  laid  Adderly  at  his  feet. 
Physically  he  was  more  than  a  match  for  both  his 
opponents  combined.  Best  of  all,  he  was  a  gentle- 
man. He  arose  from  the  table  and  walked  to  the 
camp-fire,  followed  by  Stokes,  and  quietly  sat  down 
on  the  trunk  of  a  fallen  tree.  Adderly  and  Church- 
ill played  agamst  each  other  in  silence.     That  Ad- 


146       she:s-a:s-doah  ;  on,  the  nomzox^s  bar. 

derly  was  an  expert  at  card  playing-  no  one  doubted. 
The  members  who  had  gathered  around  to  witness 
the  game  moved  away,  making  remarks  in  low 
tones.  The  quickness  with  which  Adderly  shuffled 
and  dealt;  the  fan-like  run  with  which  he  spread 
his  •'  hand"  out ;  the  rapid  survey  of  the  field  before 
him,  showed  them  all  that  the  game  was  not  one 
which  "  he  did  not  understand." 

From  that  night  out  many  of  the  members  passed 
him  in  silence;  no  one  would  play  with  him,  save 
Churchill.  The  members  of  his  mess  would  often 
after  supper  vacate  the  tent  and  leave  Adderly  and 
Churchill  playing  cards  within  by  the  light  of  a 
lantern  that  swung  from  the  ridge  pole  over  their 
heads. 

There  was  something  foxy  in  his  face,  and 
snake-like  in  his  movements  that  you  felt  something 
of  this  feeling  in  regard  to  him.  If  you  chanced  to 
make  him  your  enem}^  that  same  day  when  you 
were  not  prepared  for  him  he  would  pounce  down 
upon  you,  no  matter  if  you  had  right  on  your  side, 
^nd  the  odds  all  in  your  favor,  even  then  he  would 
triumph  as  the  Indian  triumphs  who  crawls  up  be- 
hind you  and  tomahawks  you  unawares ;  in  short, 
you  were  afraid  of  him.  Then  he  never  seemed  to 
make  a  noise  with  his  feet  when  walking,  but  tripped 
it  in  a  dainty  cat-like  fashion. 

Thus  Adderly  would  glide  up  to  the  camp-fire, 
when  at  evening  the  members  would  be  laughing 
and  talking  away. 

No  one  would  know  he  was  near  until  they 
chanced  to  turn  around ;  then  they  would  ask  them- 
selves these  questions ; 


gH'ElS'ANDOAH  ;    OR,   THE   H0IIIZ0]S^^S  BAR.  14^ 

"  How  long  has  he  been  standing  there?'* 

*'  When  did  he  come  and  how  ?  " 

When  jou  looked  around  again — lo !  he  was  gone. 

Upon  the  day  of  the  ride  for  life  when  he  came 
flying  into  camp  upon  his  horse,  some  of  the  mem- 
bers who  watched  the  dev^oted  little  band  in  their 
efforts  to  save  Eaton  and  Churchill  were  amazed 
at  the  cowardice  of  the  man,  they  felt  like  shooting 
him  down  without  asking  any  questions.  Old  Ser- 
geant Hawkins  of  Dumfries'  escort,  who  was  a  kind 
of  a  chaplain  among  the  men  of  his  company,  ex- 
claimed : 

"It  is  sinful  to  wish  sudden  death  to  smite  down 
those  with  whom  we  have  been  associated  ;  but  Oh, 
Lord,  if  a  winged  shaft  should  destroy  yon  fljing 
sinner,  thy  servant  would  say :  '  Thy  will  be  done.'  " 

From  that  day  the  members  seemed  to  shun  him 
more  than  ever.  He  made  a  lame  kind  of  an  ex- 
planation, *'  That  he  did  not  understand  v/hat  the 
wagon-master  said." 

This  was  a  lie.  The  members  listened,  but  made 
no  remarks  in  regard  to  it. 

The  stars  were  shining  when  the  train  rolled  out 
of  camp. 

The  members  armed  with  revolvers  in  their  belts 
and  rifles  slung,  were  in  advance.  The  wagons 
moved  two  abreast ;  in  case  of  an  attack  a  corral 
could  be  made  instantly. 

The  cavalrymen  flanked  the  wagons.  Pedro 
laid  upon  blankets  in  one  of  the  wagons  least  loaded ; 
his  wound  was  very  painful,  yet  the  herder  bore  it 
bravely,  and  when  it  pained  him  most  he  would 
shut  his  teeth,  turn  his  head  uneasily,  and  spit  out 


148  SHEN^ANDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZOi^^^S  BAR. 

a  little   oath   in   Spanish   and    then  shut  his  eyes 


again. 


Eaton  rode  the  herder's  pony.  Churchill's  wound 
was  evidently  less  painful,  for  he  was  in  the  saddle. 

The  train  passed  Jack  Morrow's  ranche  about 
daybreak. 

Jack  Morrow  is  a  man  well  knowm  to  travellers 
of  the  plains,  and  as  the  train  is  passing  the  spot  a 
hurried  description  of  the  ranche  and  its  owner 
will  not  be  out  of  place. 

Twelve  miles  west  of  Cottonwood,  on  the  road,  is 
a  good  sized  wooden  storehouse,  well  stocked  with 
such  articles  as  the  trains  are  likely  to  need.  Prob- 
ably a  larger  and  a  greater  variety  of  goods  are  to 
be  found  here  than  in  any  other  ranche  on  the 
plains.  When  trade  was  carried  on  with  the 
Indians,  this  large  store  has  been  crowded  with  red 
men  bartering  away  buffalo  and  buckskin,  furs  and 
feathers,  for  beads  and  sugar,  brass  chains  and  but- 
tons. Morrow  himself  is  a  character,  they  say — 
freighters  say.  He  came  there  to  the  spot  where  his 
ranche  now  stands  a  poor  man — not  many  years  ago 
certainly,  for  he  is  still  a  young  man,  and  if  '^  they 
say  "  speaks  truly  he  is  a  rich  man  now.  Certain  are 
we  that  no  suffering  human  being  ever  made  his 
wants  known  at  the  door  of  Jack  Morrow's  ranche 
without  obtaining  assistance,  and  in  the  rush,  the  on- 
ward wave,  which  carried  thousands  to  the  region  of 
gold  in  "  '57,"  and  the  return  broken  tide  that  flowed 
back  again — bearing  the  defeated  and  shipwrecked 
adventurer  to  the  shores  of  civilization  again — many 
a  hungry  man  has  blessed  the  owner  of  the  ranche 
twelve  miles   above  Cottonwood.     'Tis  true,  Jack 


SHEiTANBOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZOJ^t's  BAR.  l49 

drives  a  sharp  bargain,  dealers  do  the  same  "on 
'Change,"  in  its  caveat  emptor  (let  the  purchaser  be- 
ware) all  over  the  world.  In  person  the  owner  of 
the  ranche  was  rather  tall  and  spare.  Had  a  gray 
eye,  with  a  restless,  pleasant  expression  when  the 
man  is  at  pose,  but  it  had  a  "  business  "  glare  when 
excited.  In  the  days  when  the  Indians  were  at 
peace  with  the  whites,  he  would  go  off  for  weeks 
at  a  time  and  hunt  and  fish  with  various  tribes,  and 
he  was  a  great  favorite  with  them  all,  for  he  was  a 
good  shot  and  was  "  hail-fellow-well-met "  with 
the  *'  big  injuns."  Personally  he  was  as  brave  as  a 
lion,  and  numerous  has  been  the  reports,  "Jack 
Morrow  has  been  killed  and  scalped."  Half  a  dozen 
times  has  this  been  said  when  accounts  of  Indian 
troubles  would  reach  the  ranche  by  emigrants,  or 
pilgrims  as  they  are  called  upon  the  plains,  who 
had  become  frightened  perhaps  at  the  screech  of  a 
sand-hill  crane  or  the  waving  of  a  bush,  it  would 
not  move  the  ranchman  a  jot.  If  he  had  business  at 
Kearney  City  or  Omaha,  he  would  jump  in  his  top 
buggy,  lay  in  his  rifle,  draw  the  reins  across  his 
span  of  bobtails,  speak  to  them  and  away — Indians! 
— devil  take  the  hindermost. 

The  train  rolled  on.  Nothing  worthy  of  note 
took  place  for  many  days. 

Pedro  is  recovering. 

Cicero  herds  the  stock  at  night. 

The  mail  coach  is  again  on  the  road  with  a  guard 
of  four  cavalrymen,  generally  drunk.  There  must 
be  a  laxity  of  discipline  at  Cottonwood. 

O'Fallon's  Bluffs  have  been  passed ;  a  wild  ro- 


150         SHEl^AKDOAH  ;    Oil,   THE  HORIZOK^S  BAR. 

mantic  place,  where  the  line  of  bluffs  run  along  by 
the  river  and  the  road  descends  into  a  wide  ravine. 

The  train  meets  an  ox  caravan. 

There  is  plenty  of  room  in  the  bottom  for  the 
trains  to  pass. 

The  wagon-masters  ride  up  to  each  other  and 
shake  hands. 

"  The  train  from  Julesburg,"  so  the  wagon-master 
says. 

*'  Meet  any  Indians?"  asked  Hallett. 

*'  No.  Scouts  say  all  quiet  up  to  Denver.  Been 
troubled?" 

"  Yes ;  started  up  a  hornet's  nest  on  an  antelope 
hunt,  in  the  bluffs  four  miles  this  side  Cottonwood. 
Comanches  on  the  warpath — going  south.  Co- 
manches  so  far  this  way  out  of  their  course,  I  guess." 

**A  nybody  unlucky  ?" 

*'  Our  herder  is  hurt  pretty  badly,  one  or  two  of 
the  folks  scratched,  that's  all." 

-  Well,  so  'long." 

"  Take  care  of  yourself." 

And  the  wagon-masters  ride  to  their  trains. 

*'  Get  up  boys,  and  git,"  from  the  mule  drivers. 

"  Whoa,  haw,  glang,  you " 

"  Haw  now,  will  you,"  from  the  bull-whackers. 

The  scenery  around  O'Fallon's  Bluffs  is  romantic 
and  picturesque.  The  sort  of  scenery  as  would  be 
appropriate  for  the  music  in  the  incantation  scene 
in  Der  Freischutz.  Rugged  cliff  sides  with  blasted 
trees,  great  roots  protruding  from  darkened  chasms, 
a  clump  of  leafless  trees  in  the  bottom,  and  a  glimpse 
of  a  clear  river  be3^ond. 

Then  islands — beautiful  green  islands  in  the  Platte; 


SHE]SrAi?-DOAH  ;    01^,   THE  HOKIZO:S-'s  BAfi.  l5l 

SO  at  least  thinks  Nellie  Fairleigh,  for  she  stands  up 
in  the  wagon.  Jim  has  thrown  back  the  cover  for 
the  young  ladies,  and  they  look  out  upon  the  scene. 

"Are  not  those  islands  beautiful,  Kate?" 

"  Yes ;  see  how  green  and  wavy  the  grass  is.  It 
seems  much  fresher  there  than  along:  the  wood  side. 
I  wish  the  little  black  pony  could  feed  there  to- 
night.    It  would  be  a  grand  treat  for  him." 

"  I  think  the  scenery  just  here,  Nellie,  resembles 
the  point  where  you  first  see  the  islands  as  3^ou  as- 
cend the  river  in  the  Juniata,"  said  her  father,  who 
rode  up  mounted  on  RoUin's  horse. 

The  members  gather  around  the  camp-fire  that 
night — a  roaring  fire,  for  the  nights  are  grow- 
ing chilly.  Churchill,  for  a  wonder,  is  stretched 
upon  his  blanket  smoking.  He  is  lying  near  Eaton, 
who  sits  upon  a  camp-stool ;  one  arm  in  a  sling,  the 
other  holding  his  pipe.  He  looks  up  at  Eaton  often, 
gazes  long  at  him,  then  with  a  sigh  fixes  his  eyes 
upon  the  fire. 

Adderley  is  not  there.  There  is  a  light  burning 
in  his  tent.  He  comes  up  near  Churchill;  stands 
lDy  him  a  few  minutes,  then  the  wounded  man,  for 
his  wound  is  not  yet  healed,  rises,  folds  his  blanket, 
lays  it  over  his  arm,  and  they  both  retire  into  their 
tent.  ^ 

ThWdrivers  are  asleep  under  their  wagons.  The 
"  dog-tents"  of  the  cavalrymen  are  up  ;  the  men 
have  built  a  fire  and  are  lying  around  it,  while  Ser- 
jeant Hawkins  is  singing  a  hymn  by  the  light  of 
the  fire.  The  wagon-master  has  just  ridden  in  the 
corral ;  the  grass  was  very  poor  where  the  train 
encamped  to-night,  and  he  had  crossed  over  the 


152  SHEN"AXI)OAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZOif's  BAE. 

river  to  the  islands,  the  grass  is  good  there,  and  he 
orders  Cicero  to  drive  the  stock  over. 

The  mining  company  pay  the  negro  two  dollars 
a  night  to  herd  for  them  while  Pedro  is  unable  to 
take  the  field. 

**  Look  heah,  Massa  Hallett,  dus  you  spec  dis 
chile  am  gwine  ober  on  dat  island  fur  tu  stay  all 
night,  and  be  killed  by  de  Injuns,  dats  always  ready 
fur  jis  sich  chances?" 

*'  You  are  in  no  more  danger  there  than  here, 
Cicero,  the  guards  around  the  corral  can  hear  you 
if  you  call.  I  would  not  let  the  stock  go  over  if  it 
was  dangerous.  It's  better  over  there  than  here, 
for  the  bluffs  are  so  near  us  on  this  side,  and  so  far 
from  the  other,  that  they  are  great  hiding  places  for 
the  Indians. 

'*  Das  a  fac.  I  guess  I  go,"  and  off  he  rode  on 
the  herder's  pony,  singing  to  keep  his  spirits  up 
this  hymn : 

"  De  Lord  he  love  good  nigger  well ; 
He  know  de  nigger  by  his  smell. 
And  when  his  pickaninny  cry, 
De  Lord  he  giv  'em  possum-pie.'* 

RoUin  sat  upon  the  mess-chest ;  it  had  been  car- 
ried near  the  fire  by  Harry  and  himself  for  a  seat. 

*'  Will  you  go  over  to  the  car,  Rollin?" 

"  I  think  not  just  now,  Harry." 

The  members  one  by  one  had  left  the  camp-fire 
to  retire ;  the  fire  was  burning  low. 

"  I  am  afraid  you  will  get  melancholy  if  I  leave 
you." 

"  No,  I  will  not ;  I  want  to  think  something  out." 

**  That  means  *  I  am  going  to  open  the  door  just 


SHEIfANDOAH  ;    OK,   THE  HORIZON'S  BAR.  153 

as  melancholy  comes  along.  I  won't  invife  her  to 
come  in  and  sit  down,  but  I'll  tempt  her  to  do  so  by 
getting-  all  ready  to  receive  her.'  " 

Rollin  smiled  ;  his  friend  was  right. 

''  Now,  one  of  two  things,  Rollin  Vincent,  to  the 
tent  or  to  the  *  car.'  " 

''  To  the  '  car,'  then,  if  it's  not  too  late." 

"  Early  ;  for  the  young  ladies  still  keep  city  hours  ; 
and  I  know  they  are  lonesome,  for  father  retires 
early." 

The  young  men  crossed  to  the  wagon. 

"  Young  females,"  said  Harr}^  knocking  on  the 
side  of  the  "  car." 

''  Old  gentlemen,"  replied  Kate,  from  within, 
**  what  is  wanted?" 

*'  Can  Rollin  and  I  come  in?" 

''Yes,  sir." 

And  they  entered  the  parlor. 

"  Your  wish  has  been  granted.  Miss  Fairleigh," 
said  Rollin,  gayly. 

"  What  wish  ?  asked  Nellie,  coloring  somewhat. 

"  Your  father  told  me  of  a  wish  you  made  this 
morning.  Your  little  Indian  is  feeding  in  clover 
and  tall  grass  on  one  of  the  islands.  The  grass  is 
so  poor  on  this  side  -of  the  river  that  Mr.  Hallett 
ordered  Cicero  to  drive  the  stock  across." 

"  How^  is  Pedro,  Harry?"  asked  Kate. 

"  Better.     Why  don't  you  ask  about  Mr.  Eaton?" 

''  Oh !  I'll  ask  him  myself,"  replied  the  lady,  with 
a  toss  of  the  head. 

The  balance  of  the  evening  was  passed  in  pleas- 
fint  tcilks  of  home  and  hopes  for  the  future. 


154         SHEN'AXDOAH  ;    OR,   THE   HORIZOX'S  BAR. 

Rollin  seemed   in   excellent  spirits,  and   caused 
even  Harry  to  wonder  at  him. 

"  Good-night,   sweet    love,"   said    Harry   in   the 
mock  heroic  style. 

''  Oh  !  hush  your  nonsense,"  answered  Kate. 

"  Let  me,  prithee,  kiss  those  rosy  lips,"  continued 
the  torment  in  the  same  strain. 

"  Box  his  ears,  Kate,"  said  Nellie. 

*'  Nay,  dearest,  nay  !     If  thou  wouldst — " 

The  lady  gave  him  a  slap  upon  the  cheeks  that 
made  them  tingle. 

"  Catherine,  for  this  I  shall  kiss  thee." 

Rollin  waited  to  see  the  battle  over;  bid  Nellie 
good-night. 

There   was    no   need   of    hand-shaking,   but    he 
reached  out  his,  and  it  met  the  lady's. 

"  Good-night,  Miss  Fairleigh." 

''  Good-night,  Captain  Vincent." 

''  Good-night,  sweet  cousin  Kate,"  from  Harry. 

"  Good-night,  you  great,  strong — I   don't  know 

what." 

The  young  men  crossed  to  their  tent. 

They  entered  quietly  for  fear  of  disturbing  the 
sleepers. 

They  spread  out  their  blankets,  and  laid  them- 
selves down  to  rest. 

Harry  was  soon  sound  asleep,  but  Rollin  laid 
and  thought  of  his  plans  for  the  future.  Day  after 
day  he  had  delayed  asking  Nellie  Fairleigh  if  she 
would  be  his  wife.  Each  day  he  had  determined, 
yet  he  lacked  the  courage  and  put  it  off,  waiting 
for  the  inspired  moment.     I  must  ask  her  to-mor^ 


SHEKANDOAH  ;    OR,    THE   HORIZON'S  BAR.  155 

row,  he  thought,  as  he  closed  his  eyes.     I  can  en- 
dure the  suspense  no  longer. 

He  had  fallen  asleep  only  to  he  roused  at  the 
sound  of  fire-arms  and  the  tramping  of  hoofs. 
He  rushed  from  his  tent.  The  wagon-master 
passed  near. 

*'  It's  nothing,  gentlemen,"  said  Mr.  Hallett  to 
the  members  who  came  half-dressed  from  the  tents. 
''  Cicero  became  alarmed,  that's  all." 

Some  members  sta3^ed  up  to  inquire  all  about  it, 
but  RoUin  was  used  to-  the  old  story  heard  so  often 
dui-ing  the  war — ''  Pickets  drove  in  captain" — that 
he  laid  down  in  his  tent  and  was  soon  with  Harry 
in  dreamland. 


CHAPTER   XX. 

"  What  was  the  row  last  night  ?"  asked  Harry  and 
Stokes,  as  the  members  of  the  mess  sat  at  the  break- 
fast-table next  morning. 

"  Call  up  the  culled  pusson  and  have  him  tell  the 
story  in  his  own  language,"  said  Eaton. 

"Cicero  !"  called  out  the  adjutant. 

"  Yes,  sah !"  answered  the  negro,  crawling  out 
from  beneath  a  wagon  and  advancing. 

"  Tell  us  how  it  was  that  you  came  to  alarm  the 
camp  at  the  dead  hour  of  night  by  discharging  a 
weapon  called  a  pistol  three  several  and  distinct 
times.  The  captain  that  commands  the  train  desires 
to  know  all  the  circumstances  in  regard  to  it,"  said 
the  adjutant,  looking  very  stern, 

"  Well,  den,  Captain-Commander  Vincent,  ladies, 


i 


156       she:n'AKdoah  ;  on,  the  horizon's  bar. 

and  gemmen,  dese  am  der  facts,  you  see :  I  isn't 
a  regular  born  herder  like  de  Mexicaner;  I  isn't 
used  to  de  tricks  of  managing  dese  yere  mules  no- 
how. I  impolates  dese  remarks  jis  for  to  show  de 
premises  from  which  we  hallucinate  out  to  the 
main  queshun." 

The  ladies  turned  their  faces  aside.  Eaton 
dropped  his  fork  and  began  to  cough. 

'*  You  see,  den.  Mister  Commander,  ladies,  and 
gemmen,  I  forthwith  proceeded  to  sashey  all  de 
mules  and  horses  across  de  river  under  de  previous 
before  existin'  proclamations  of  the  w^agon-master. 
You  see  dat  little  clump  ob  trees  dere,  gemmen  ? 
Well,  dats  looks  small  from  here,  but  I  shure  you 
dat  it  am  quite  a  thick  piece  of  woods  dere.  Well, 
I  drive  de  mules  and  de  bosses  trew  dis  wood  to  de 
thick  grass  jis  de  other  side,  and  den  de  animals 
commence  de  gasticating  process  of  stowing  aw^ay 
der  food.  It  was  kindy  dark  las'  night,  gemmen, 
and  de  feelin'  of  a  sort  of  queerness  come  ober  me 
when  I  reckoflected  dat  de  trees  w^as  between  me 
and  de  ribber.  I  see  de  light  go  in  de  camp,  and 
den  dis  feeling  ob  queerness  began  for  to  transmo- 
grate  and  grow  heavy.  De  skeeters  dey  jes  come 
down  in  clouds,  and  to  git  rid  of  'em  I  jes  rides  a 
little  piece  in  de  woods.  I  jes  rode  a  little  ways  in 
when — dis  is  de  trufe,  gemmen  and  Mister  Com- 
mander— ^I  heard  a  groan  dat  jes  raise  de  har  on  de 
top  of  my  head." 

"  Is  it  possible?"  said  Tom  with  a  wank. 

"  Yes,  sah,  I  heerd  dis  groan,  and  my  blood  almost 
friz  ;  I  grew  as  pale  as  a  sheet" 


SHEJiTAiq-DOAH  ;    OE,   THE   HORIZOIS^'S   BAR.  157 

The   ladies   took   out    their   handkerchiefs,   and 
seemed  busy  with  them.     Rollin  bit  his  lip. 

''  Is  it  possible  ?"  again  from  Tom  with  a  wink. 

"  Yes,  gemmen  and   ladies  and   Mister  Captain- 
Commander,  neber  in  my  life  did  I  heer  afore  sich 
a  groan.     I  rode  furder  into  de  woods,  and  dere, 
gemmen,  I  thought  I  must  expostulate  right  down 
on  de  spot,  for  I  heerd  the  groan  agin  close  behind 
me,  and  the  sound  ob  feet.     I  jes  draw  dis  pistule, 
Mister  Commander,  and  started  up  de  horse,  and 
den   clus,   right   clus   behind   me   come   somethin* 
a-groanin'  and   a-groanin'.      I    didn't    stop    to   see 
what  it  was,  for  de  moon  was  veiled  by  some  spo- 
radic diffusion  of  de  passin'  cloud  ;  so  I  jes  makes 
for  de  ribber.     I  jes  places  dis  head  clus  down  to 
de   pony's  neck ;  I    fires   de   pistule,   Mister  Com- 
mander, three  times  in  the  air  to  aroust  de  camp, 
an'  in  I  goes  into  de  ribber.     I  hears  groanin'  and 
splashin'  in  de  ribber  behind  me.     I  looks  around — 
the  queen  ob  night — Cinthy  I  tink  de  poets  call  her 
— comes  sailin'  out  from  de  cloud,  and  dere  I  see, 
gemmen  and  ladies.  Mister  Commander,  a  big  gray 
mule,  some  calls  him  Stonewall,  and  some  Jew  Ball. 
De  mule  had  de  colic,  and  was  groanin'  wid  it,  and 
followed  me  in  to  do  sunthin'  for  him.     Now,  Mis- 
ter Commander  and  gemmen  and  ladies,  I  am  sorry 
to   have   disturbed    de  trancitude   ob   de  ebenin's 
solicitatiou.     Dese  am  de  sole  facs.     I  was  'larmed 
at  the  queerousness  of  de  sounds,  and  discharged 
de  weepon  in  de  obsolete  performance  of  my  im- 
posed duty." 

''  It's  all  right,  Cicero,  you  no  doubt  had  just  rea- 
sons to  fire  off  the  pistol,"  said  Rollin,  for  he  coulcj 


158  SHEISTAI^DOAH  ;    OR,    THE   HORIZOi^'S  BAR. 

see  that  the  negro  feared  that  he  had  transgressed 
some  law. 

Vincent  was  not  the  man  to  trifle  with  any  one, 
and  he  hastened  to  relieve  an}^  doubt  that  might 
exist  in  the  man's  mind. 

Cicero  in  his  way  was  a  representative  man. 
He  had  been  a  slave ;  was  ignorant  of  the  laws  so 
far,  at  least,  as  they  related  to  w^hite  men,  and  as 
before  the  law  they  had  been  declared  equal,  he 
did  not  know  to  Avhat  extent  the  mere  firing  of  a 
pistol  made  him  liable. 

"  Am  I  discharged,  sah  ?" 

You  never  were  in  custody,  Cicero  ;  you  better 
take  your  blanket  and  lie  down  under  one  of  the 
wagons  and  sleep.  The  wagon-master  says  we 
won't  roll  out  of  camp  until  after  dinner.  The 
stock  are  having  a  good  time  on  the  island." 

"  Tank  you,  sah  ;  good-day,  ladies  and  gemmen." 

The  simple-hearted  black  was  a  faithful  man. 
He  had  a  spelling-book,  and  he  would  spread  it  out 
upon  his  knees,  and  by  the  light  of  the  camp-fire 
would  learn  his  lesson. 

Every  one  in  camp  was  ready  to  help  him  along 
in  pursuit  of  knowledge. 

"  So  it  was  Jubal  who  frightened  Cicero,  was  it?" 
asked  Harry. 

"  Yes,"  replied  Eaton.  "  Animals,  when  they  are 
sick  or  frightened,  seek  the  protection  of  man. 
Now,  that  mule  Jubal  is  as  ugly  as  Cain.  Last 
night  he  stood  as  quiet  as  a  kitten  while  the  wagon- 
master  gave  him  some  medicine.  After  remaining 
in  camp  until  he  felt  better,  he  walked  out,  crossed 
the  river,  and  is  now  with  the  others." 


SHENANDOAH  ;    OR^    THE   HORIZON'S   BAR.  159 

*'  We'll  see.  But  that  reminds  me  of  a  story. 
When  General  Early  made  his  celebrated  raid,  our 
brigade  was  sent  to  check  his  advance.  It  was 
Sunday  morning.  The  general  sent  for  the  chap- 
lain to  have  prayers  at  headquarters.  He  came  ; 
opened  services  with  a  hymn,  and  strange  enough 
it  began : 

"  Early,  my  God,  without  delay, 
I  haste  to  seek  thy  face." 

"  The  officers  smiled,  and  when  service  was  over, 
we,  '  without  delay,'  went  to  seek  his  face  and  hold 
him  in  check  until  the  main  body  came  up,  and  I 
have  never  seen  his  face  since." 

The  ladies  now  rose  from  the  table,  and  retiring, 
breakfast  was  cleared  away.  The  morning  was 
passed  in  writing  letters,  cleaning  fire-arms,  and 
mending  harness,  and  other  small  matters  were  at- 
tended to  that  are  apt  to  be  neglected  in  the  fatigue 
of  every-day  journey.  Dinner  over,  the  train  is 
once  more  in  motion.  Five  days  [from  O'Fallon's 
Bluffs  and  they  encamp  at  night  within  fifteen  miles 
of  Julesburg. 

Alkalie,  a  small  military  post,  has  been  passed  ; 
a  ranche,  and  one  or  two  sod-huts  for  the  soldiers, 
and  a  barn  for  the  horses  of  the  overland  mail  com- 
pany constitute  the  buildings  of  the  town.  West  of 
this  point,  about  two  miles  the  ground  is  covered 
with  saleratus  (Alkali),  it  looks  as  if  there  had  been 
a  light  fall  of  snow. 

Freighters  are  careful  not  to  let  their  stock  drink 
of  the  springs  and  brooks  near  this  point.  Emi- 
grants not  aware  of  the  danger,  turn  their  aninial§ 


IGO       shenai^doah;  or^  the  horizon^s  bar. 

loose.  When  warm  they  drink  from  some  alkaloid 
stream  hid  perhaps  in  the  grass,  and  in  a  few  hours 
the  poor  beasts  begin  to  suffer  with  pain.  They 
seek  their  drivers,  who,  as  a  general  thing,  lack  the 
proper  remedies,  and  die  after  swelling  up,  almost 
bursting  in  fact.  All  along  the  road  dead  animals 
are  strewn :  here  a  carcass  of  a  horse  half  devoured 
by  crows  and  wolves,  there  the  horned  head  of  a 
steer  bleaching  in  the  snow.  Beauvais  Ranche — Old 
California  Crossing,  lies  behind  them  now.  This 
is  a  good  sized  ranche  with  a  large  assortment  of 
train  stores.  The  ranche  is  built  of  logs,  and  there 
is  a  little  dwelling-house  or  wing  to  it  inclosed 
within  a  fence  where  the  ranchman  lives.  Beauvais 
is  said  to  have  a  dark-haired  daughter  of  the  forest 
for  a  wife.  Judging  from  the  name  he  is  a  French- 
man. This  place  is  also  called  Old  California  Cross- 
ing— so  at  least  says  the  sign  board  near  the  ranche. 
In  the  days  of  the  California  gold  fever  trains  used 
to  cross  the  Platte  here  and  take  the  north  fork  of 
the  river  up  to  Budges  Post — then,  Ho,  for  Cali- 
fornia and  Oregon  !  The  road  is  not  much  used  of 
late  years  ;  few  trains,  save  military  ones  with  large 
escorts,  bound  for  the  forts  lying  north,  travel  this 
road  now.  And  now  the  train  lies  corralled  at  sun- 
set fifteen  miles  from  Julesburg.  Supper  is  over; 
the  stars  are  out.  The  camp-lire  is  burning  brightly, 
all  the  members  are  gathered  around  it  save  Ad- 
derly  and  Churchill.  The  lantern  burns  in  their 
tent,  a  small  camp-table  is  between  them,  and  they 
are  playing  cards. 

Churchill's  arrow  wound  has  healed,  but  he  looks 
very  pale  to  night.   He  is  not  the  man  he  was  whe« 


SHENANDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZON  S  BAR.         ICl 

the  journey  began.  There  seems  to  be  a  deep  in- 
terest taken  in  the  game,  yet  there  is  no  money  seen 
on  the  table ;  there  are  two  little  slips  of  paper  near 
the  right  elbow  of  each  player,  and  the  game  lost 
or  won  is  marked  down. 

They  do  not  seem  to  be  playing  for  pleasure,  for 
they  speak  only  the  words  used  in  the  game. 
Churcbill  smiles  at  times  ;  it  is  a  bitter  kind  of  smile. 
The  game  is  over.  Churchill  passes  his  hand  to  his 
forehead,  as  if  to  shut  out  unpleasant  thought ;  rises 
from  the  stool,  opens  the  tent  door,  throws  back  the 
flap  nervously,  and  with  hurried  steps  walks  toward 
the  river  alone. 

The  soldiers  have  a  little  camp-fire  near  their 
dog-tents,  and  Serjeant  Hawkins  is  giving  a  lecture 
upon  the  evils  of  drinking  and  swearing  to  attentive 
listeners. 

"  Far  be  it  from  me,  brethren,  to  dwell  upon  the 
sins  of  those  who  have  been  placed  over  us  as  our 
officers  by  the  regular  constituted  authority.  Yet 
the  mind  cannot  help  dwelling  upon  the  fact  that 
these  men  would  be  laying  up  treasures  above  if  they 
but  lived  better  lives.  There  is,  for  instance,  our 
first  lieutenant,  Mr.  McCann.  Where  can  you  find 
a  braver  or  more  generous  man  ?" 

"  Yis,  he  give  me  a  fine  drink  of  whiskey  the  night 
the  pontoon  bridge  broke,  and  I  fell  into  the  river 
at  Fort  Kearney,"  said  a  soldier  named  Kelly. 

"  Yes,  private  Kelly,  he  is  generous ;  but  he  gave 
unto  you  liquid  fire,  but  in  the  generosity  of  his 
nature  he  deemed  that  a  blessing." 

"  Thin,  Serjeant  dear,  it  was  a  ^blessing  in  dis- 
guise." 


162         SHEl^'Ai^-DOAH  ;    OR,    THE  HORtZON^S  BAR. 

"  Nay,  Private  Kelly,  it's  the  liquid  that  gnaws 
into  the  vitals ;  thy  red  eyes  show  the  too  frequent 
use  of  that  drink,  those  rude,  untaught  children  of 
tlie  forest — the  Indians — justly  call  fire-water." 

''  Nay,  thin,  Sergeant  Hawkins,  av  ye  plaze,  it's 
the  want  af  it  that  makes  me  eyes  to  cry  for  it,"  said 
the  soldier,  with  a  laugh. 

*'  Private  Kelly,  I  fear  thou  art  bound  tor  the 
place  of  darkness." 

'•  Well,  thin,  I'll  tell  you  a  story.  There  w^as  a 
man  in  our  company  by  the  name  of  McManus, 
Copier  McManus." 

"  I  remember  him,  Corporal  McManus,  of  Com- 
pany B.  He  was  killed  at  the  second  battle  of  Bull 
Run,"  said  the  sergeant. 

"  That  same.  Now,  Copier  McManus  was  the 
stiddyest  man  for  a  rigular  that  ever  you  see.  Divil 
a  taste  of  a  liquor  wint  into  his  lips,  or  a  nasty  word 
ever  came  out  of  'em.  Well,  you  know  Gineral 
Warren,  ah,  he  was  the  boy  for  fightin',  drinkin', 
and  swearin' ;  wait  now  till  I  tell  you  what  he  did. 
1  seed  him  one  day,  jist  before  the  battle,  sittin'  on 
his  horse  wid  his  field-glass  in  his  hand,  lookin'  over 
at  some  Johnnys  that  was  firing  away  at  our  right 
wid  a  big  battery  of  guns ;  well,  the  artillery  min 
seed  the  gineral  and  his  staff  so  handy  that  they  sint 
a  shell  over  to  him." 

"  '  I'm  a  comin',  Fm  a  comin','  sed  the  old  shell, 
as  it  whizzed  through  the  air  right  for  the  gineral. 
Not  a  bit  did  he  move  at  all,  but  kept  on  looking 
thru  the  glasses.  The  shell  passed  so  clus  to  his 
head  that  it  knocked  off  his  hat.  One  of  his  staff 
picked  it  up  and  handed  it  to  him.     Thim  staff  fel- 


SHEXANDOAH  ;    OR,   THE   HOBIZOK^S  BAR.  lG3 

lows  wanted  to  get  out  of  the  way,  but  not  a  bit 
did  he  move  while  the  officers  dodged  the  balls  and 
shells.  Win  he  had  seen  what  he  wanted,  he  shut 
up  his  glass  and  rode  off  as  slowly  as  if  he  was  goin* 
to  a  funeral ;  and  thin  to  see  thim  staff  fellows  how 
they  looked  behind  them  and  over  their  shoulders 
to  see  if  there  wasn't  somethin'  comin'  fur  thim." 
''  Well,  what  about  Corporal  McManus?" 
''  Well,  thin,  Copier  McManus  sez  to  me  one  day, 
jist  before  we  moved  down  into  the  fight,  at  the 
second  battle  of  Bull  Run— and  by  the  hookey  !  that 
was  a  fight,  and  no  mistake;  wasn't  it,  Sergeant  Haw- 
kins, dear?" 

"  Indeed  it  was  a  bloody  conflict,"  answered  the 

other,  reverentially. 

"  Well,  thin,  you  know  Gineral  Warren  used  to 
be  say  in' — " 

"  '  I  want  to  see  a  few  dead  riglars  to-day,  boys,  so 
march  in  scales.'  He  used  to  call  us  scales  on  ac- 
count of  the  brass  shoulders  we  had. 

"  What  about  Corporal  McManus?"  asked  one 
of  the  soldiers. 

'*  Well,  thin,  Copier  McManus  sez  to  me  :  '  Jeems 
Kelly,  fwhat's  the  use  of  a  man  like  you  wastin'  your 
money  playin'  cards  with  the  boys,  for  drinks  and  the 
like  ;  doin'  you  no  good.'  Sez  I,  '  Copier  McManus, 
a  drink  has  often  saved  a  man's  life.*  '  Divel  a  onct,' 
says  he,  '  but  I  am  awful  tired.'  '  Take  a  drop,'  sez 
I,  pullin'  out  me  canteen,  *  there's  a  fine  taste  of  old 
mountain  dew  in  here.' 

"  Well,  thin,  gintlemen,  he  had  taken  a  step  for- 
ward to  take  a  drink,  but  he  smelt  the  liquor  inside 
and  he  laced  about  and  made  one  step  back,  whin 


1G4  SHEKANDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HOMZON^S  BAR. 

a  rifle  ball  came  along  and  took  off  the  top  of  his 
head.  Now,  d'ye  see,  if  Copier  McManus  had 
taken  a  swig  from  the  canteen,  he  would  have  saved 
his  life.  Now,  d'3^e  see,  many  a  story  could  I  relate 
av  how  liquor  has  been  the  savin'  and  the  makin'  of 
a  man.     Now  when  Gineral  Warren — " 

"  Sound  lights  out,  bugler,"  called  out  the  adju- 
tant, from  his  wagon. 

The  lights  were  extinguished  in  the  camp  of  the 
soldiers.  The  moon  rose  and  silvered  the  sabres 
of  the  sentries  who  moved  round  the  corral. 

Churchill,  with  a  sigh,  left  his  tent  and  reached 
the  bank  of  the  river ;  he  staggered  like  a  drunken 
man.  Sitting  down  under  a  tree  he  seemed  buried  in 
thought.  The  moon's  rays  fell  upon  a  face  ghastly 
pale.     He  raised  both  hands  in  agony. 

"  Why  did  I  not  fall  upon  the  field  of  battle,  then 
I  could  leave  an  honored  name.     But  now — " 

And  he  wept. 

At  length  he  rose  to  his  feet. 

There  was  another  look  upon  his  face,  that  of 
iolty  determination,  such  as  follows  earnest  prayer. 

"  I  will  be  no  party  to  this  plot.  I  will  save  him 
)^et,  if  I  wreck  myself  in  the  attempt." 

He  walked  back  to  camp ;  he  moved  slowly  but 
the  tread  was  firm. 

"  Who  goes  there  ?"  challenged  the  guard,  a  cav- 
alryman, presenting  sabre  point. 

"  Friend  with  the  countersign." 

*'  Advance,  friend  and  give  the  countersign." 

"  Phil  Kearney,"  whispered  Churchill. 

**  Countersign  correct ;  pass  in." 


SHENANDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HOKIZON's  BAB.  165 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

"Jockey  of  Norfolk,  be  not  too  bold." — Richard  III, 

Starlight  and  the  train  in  motion,  a  short  halt 
at  noon ;  at  two  the^ag  is  seen  floating  from  the 
pole  in  the  parade-ground  of   Fort   Sedgwick   or 

Julesburg. 

The  members  on  their  horses  are  galloping 
over  the  prairie  in  the  direction  of  the  fort.  As 
they  dash  along  they  pass  the  stockade,  a  small  sod 
ranche  upon  the  right  hand,  with  rows  of  canned 
fruit  upon  the  shelves  within,  and  corn  in  bags  lay 
in  heaps  on  the  floor;  a  small  wooden  building^ 
with  a  porch  in  front,  is  the  telegraph  ofhce ;  two 
or  three  adobe  buildings  upon  the  left  are  a  store 
and  blacksmith's  shop  (now  a  parade  ground),  a 
very  tall  liberty  pole  in  the  centre,  an  iron  howitzer 
looks  frowningly  out  on  the  world,  a  look-out  sta- 
tion upon  the  bluffs,  a  few  straggling  adobe  huts 
scattered  round; 'this  comprises  the  whole  of  Fort 
Sedgwick,  Julesburg,  or  rather  did  comprise  it  in 
1865,  probably  not  containing  at  that  time,  soldiers 
and  all,  more  than  one  thousand  persons.  Now  it 
is  a  station  on  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad,  and  such 
is  the  march,  or  rather  rush  of  '*  westward  ho ! " 
that  it  is  a  large  city.  Tom  Eaton,  on  the  lookout 
for  a  saddle-horse  to-day,  sat  on  the  same  board 
with  Jim,  the  driver  of  the  ''car,"  and  as  the  train 
rolled  along  they  passed  a  corral  of  freighters, 
where  a  man  was  cleaning  a  beautiful  bright  bay 


166  SHEKAi?"DOAH  ;    OR^   THE   HORIZOK  S  BAH. 

horse  that  was  tied  by  the  halter  to  a  wagon-wheel. 
"  Isn't  this  horse  a  beauty  ?  ladies  just  look  at  him," 
said  Tom. 

The  ladies  rose  from  their  seats.  Eaton  pushed 
aside  the  wagon  cover.  *'  Hold  up  a  minute,  Jim. 
The  other  wagons  can  go  round  you  if  they  want 
to.     I  say, — is  that  horse  for  sale  ?" 

The  man  who  had  his  back  to  our  party,  and  was 
kneeling  on  one  knee  currying  and  brushing  the 
animal's  fore  legs,  rose  and  turned  around  with — 
''You're  mighty  right,  stranger;  anj^thing  I've  got 
is  for  sale.  This  hoss  is,  too,  if  you  can  '  ante '  up 
the  proper  amount  of  stamps." 

''  I  think  we  can  manage  that  if  the  horse  suits 
me." 

The  eyes  of  the  man  brightened.  He  had  an 
idea  at  first  that  Eaton  only  asked  just  for  the  sake 
of  "  saying  something"  in  the  presence  of  ladies ;  but 
he  assumed  a  deferential  manner  when  he  saw  a 
chance  for  business. 

"  Is  he  gentle  ?"  asked  Tom,  dismounting.  "You 
bet,"  was  the  answer  in  the  time-honored  vernacu- 
lar of  the  plains ;  a  milder  form  of  affirmation  than 
the  other  superlative  expressions  used  in  those 
benighted  times  and  regions,  such  as  3^ou  "  can  bet 
your  bottom  dollar,"  or  ''you  bet  your  hujer  a 
muck-a-muck"  (the  last  is  Indian  talk,  and  means 
last  bit  of  bread),  but  "  you  bet"  passes  current 
everywhere.  In  Nevada  there  is  quite  a  large 
town  called  "  You  Bet."  In  fact,  as  it  expresses 
assent  so  unqualifiedly,  it  forms  the  basis  of  con- 
versation. 

^     A  freighter,  for  instance,  enters  a  ranche  ;  "  Part- 


SMEKAKBOAH  ;    OH,   THE  HORlZON^S  BAH.  167 

ner,   kin   you   give   me   a   good    square    drink    of 

whiskey  ?" 

"You  bet."     Bottle  and  glass  are  placed  on  the 

counter. 

"  Many  trains  passed  here  to-day  ?" 
*'You  bet!" 
"Got  any  corn?" 
"You  bet." 

It  is  said  that  a  minister  of  one  of  the  churches  in 
Denver  called  upon  one  of  the  members  of  his 
church,  a  lady,  who  but  two  days  before  had  buried 
her  husband,  a  gentleman  of  considerable  wealth 
and  standing. 

"I  presume,"  begins  the  minister,  ''my  dear 
madam,  that  you  are  becoming  more  resigned,  and 
perhaps  be  led  to  see  that  after  all  what  seems  to  be 
deep  trouble  is  a  blessing  in  disguise." 

"  You  bet." 

The  minister,  taken  aback,  yet  proceeds: 

"  You  must  feel  the  loss  of  so  amiable  a  partner  as 
your  late  husband  ?" 

"  You  bet." 

"  I  regret,  madam,  that  pressing  engagements 
hasten  me  away.  I  trust  soon  to  see  you  again— 
beg  you  not  to  be  cast  down — you  know  on  whom 
to  lean  ?" 

"You  bet." 

"Good  day,  madam.     It's  a  lovely  day." 

"  You  bet." 

Eaton  stood  by  the  horse  and  patted  the  animal 
on  the  neck. 

"  Is  he  a  good  saddle-horse  ?" 


168  SliEKA^s'-BOAH  ;    OR,   THi:  HORIZOX^S  BAK. 

"  You  bet ;  you  're  mighty  right,  he  '11  just  git  up 
and  git  all  day  on  the  keen  lope  (gallop)." 

The  train  had  begun  to  corral  near  at  hand,  so 
Eaton  said  : 

"  I  won't  detain  you  Jim,  drive  on,  wait  a  minute 
though." 

Kate  and  Nellie  stood  up  in  the  wagon.  Eaton 
came  up  and  said  in  a  low  tone,  so  that  the  man 
could  not  hear:  *'  Do  you  think  it's  a  pretty  horse, 
ladies?" 

''Very;  that's  my  color,  but  I'm  no  judge  of  a 
horse,  Mr.  Eaton,"  answered  Kate. 

*'A11  right,  drive  on,  Jim;  good  day,  ladies." 
The,"  car"  rolled  on. 

"  You  say  he  is  gentle  and  a  good  saddle-horse  ?" 

"  You  bet;  get  on  and  try  him." 

*'  How  much  do  you  ask  for  him?" 

The  man  looked  around  for  a  stick.  Whv  is  it 
when  people  sell  or  trade  horses  they  must  com- 
mence to  cut  a  piece  of  wood.  I  have  seen  men  chip 
away  a  part  of  the  side  of  a  barn  digging  and  gor- 
ing away  with  their  knives.  Both  men  sat  down 
on  a  wagon  box;  a  piece  of  wood  was  found;  the 
stranger's  knife  came  out  of  his  pocket,  he  crossed 
his  legs,  lowered  the  brim  of  his  hat,  and  began 
whittling.  "  Well,  that's  the  question,  partner;  my 
wife  Sal  sot  a  heap  on  that  hoss,  but  she  is  gone, 
poor  thing.  I  wouldn't  sell  him  so  cheap  if  it 
wasn't  for  that.  What  do  you  say  to  three  hundred 
dollars  ;  hoss,  saddle,  and  bridle  ?" 

Tom  took  out  his  knife  and  began  to  dig  into  the 
wagon-box  upon  which  he  was  sitting.  I  have  good 
saddle  and  bridle,  so  I  will  not  need  yours." 


SHENANDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZON'S  BAR.  169 

"  Well,  dog  gone  it — I  '11  say  two  hundred  and 
eighty  dollars — ^jis  look  at  that  back  will  yer,  how 
it  shines,  he's  as  sound  as  a  dollar.  My  wife,  Mary 
Jane,  used  to  say  that  )^ou  could  almost  see  your 
lace  in  his  neck  when  he  was  brushed  up,  but  poor 
thing  sJies  gone,  and  I'll  never  see  her  again." 

"  Poor  man,"  thought  Tom,  "  he  has  lost  both 
wives." 

"  Well,  two  hundred  and  eighty  dollars  is  a  good 
price  for  a  horse.  I'll  look  around  in  Julesburg  a 
little,  and  see  what  I  can  buy. 

"  Partner,  thar  isn't  a  hoss  this  side  of  the  Mis- 
souri kin  hold  a  candle  to  this  one ;  nother  thing,  I 
aint  a  going  to  stay  here  over  half  an  hour." 

''Why,  the  train  is  corralled,  they  probabl}^  wont 
roll  out  before  to-morrow." 

Oh,  I  don't  go  by  them.  I  don't  belong  here;  I 
jes  jined  in  with  'em  at  Cottonwood.  I'm  going  to 
Central  City ;  look  at  them  two  white  feet  forard, 
why,  Phoebe  Ann,  used  to  sit — " 

"  That's  your  daughter?" 

*'  No,  partner,  my  wife.  Phoebe  Ann  used  to  sit 
with  a  wash-bowl  and  wash  his  feet  every  night.  I 
believe  that  woman  would  cry  her  eyes  out  if  she 
thought  I'd  sell  that  hoss,  but  she  never  know  in 
this  world." 

"  Three  wives,"  thought  Tom  ;  "  poor  man,  what 
he  must  have  suffered." 

"  Why,  partner,  that  hoss,  when  he  gits  used  to 
you,  will  follow  ye  round  like  a  dog.  Mehitibel  came 
to  the  fence  as  I  drew  awav  in  the  wao:on  with  this 
hoss  follerin  and  she  sez  to  me ; 


170         SHENANDOAH  ;    OR,  THE  HORIZON'S  BAR. 

"*  Elder,  take  care  of  yourself;  but  oh,  dear,  take 
care  of  that  hoss.* 

"  Sez  I,  'wife}^  I  will.'  Partner,  I  have,  but  I 
must  sell  him  now,  for  I  need  the  stamps,  but  I  will 
never  see  her  again,  not  in  this  world." 

'^ Four  waves,  thought  Eaton;   "this  is  strange," 
but  he  thought  it  w^ould  be  rather  ungentlemanly  to| 
allude  to  it. 

"  I'll  tell  you  what  I  will  do.  I'll  give  you  two 
hundred  dollars  for  your  horse." 

*'  Can't  think  of  it.     Sez  Penelope  Ann — " 

"  That  is  your  daughter?" 

"  No,  partner,  she  is  my  wife.  Sez  Penelope  Ann 
to  me  one  night  after  my  other  wives  had  gone  tip 
stairs — " 

Tom  gazed  at  the  man  in  surprise. 

"'Elder,'  sez  she.  '  Brigham  has  soured  on  you 
and  all  the  big  apostles  has  gone  back  on  yer ; 
Brigham  has /^^/^<^  you,  but  don't  let  him  have  that 
bay  hoss.'  I  had  some  trouble  with  the  church  and 
I  soured  on  Zion,  and  turned  Gentile.  '  No,  Pene- 
lope Ann,'  sez  I,  '  I  won't.'  Why,  partner,  there 
wasn't  a  man  in  Salt  Lake  City  from  Brigham 
Young  down  to  the  meanest  Gentile,  that  wouldn't 
have  stole  that  'ere  hoss  if  I  didn't  keep  me  eye 
peeled.  I  couldn't  think  o'  taken  less  than  two 
hundred  and  fifty,  no  how." 

''  Well,  good  day,  sir ;  I'll  look  about  a  little." 

**  I'll  tell  3^ou  now,  partner,  what  we'll  do;  I'll  go. 
into  Jake  Storm's  and  play  you  '  fly  loo '  to  see 
whether  you  pay  me  two  hundred  and  twenty-five, 
or  two  hundred  and  fifty." 

**  I  do  not  care  to  play." 


SHENANDOAH;    OR,   THE   HORIZON'S  BAR.  171 

''  Well  then,  what  do  you  say  to  'crack  loo  ;'  any- 
thing-, I  don't  care  ?" 

"  I  do  not  wish  to  play  any  game." 

''All  right,  partner,  I'll  toss  np  with  yer,  head  and 

tail.'* 

"  Never  mind,  I'll  look  around  a  little  and  let  you 
know,  if  I  cannot  do  any  better." 

''  Say,  look  a  here,  will  ye  give  two  hundred  and 
twenty-five  ?" 

''  Yes." 

''  Well  the  bargain's  done." 

"All  right,  come  with  me  down  to  the  train,  and 
I'll  give  you  the  money." 

"  Can't  you  bring  it  up  jes  as  well  ?  Til  wait  here, 
there's  a  feller  I  don't  want  to  see  down  there." 

'*  Certainly." 

Tom  walked  up  the  train,  went  to  the  wagon  that 
contained  his  trunk,  opened  it  and  took  the  sum  re- 
quired; crossing  the  corral  he  encountered  the 
wagon-master. 

"  I  have  bought  a  horse,  Mr.  Hallett." 

"Ah,  who  of?" 

"A  man  from  Salt  Lake,  I  guess  he  must  have 
been  a  Morman  for  he  certainl}^  spoke  of  five  wives 
he  had  left  behind  him." 

"  Where  is  he  ?  I  think  you  better  let  me  go  down 
with  you  before  you  pay  him." 

"  I'll  be  very  much  obliged  to  you  if  you  will ;  I 
must  own  I  am  but  a  poor  horse-jockey." 

"It  isn't  that  so  much.  I  think  you  can  tell  a 
good  horse,  Mr.  Eaton,  but  perhaps  not  a  good 
man," 


172  SHEKAXDOAH  ;    OR,    THE   HORIZOX'S  BAR. 

They  reached  the  spot.  The  ex-Morman  elder 
was  trotting  the  horse  up  and  down  by  the  halter. 

**  Here  he  is  partner,  as  gay  as  a  peach." 

"  Ah,  this  is  the  horse  is  it,  Mr.  Eaton  ;  indeed  it's 
a  fine  one,"  said  the  wagon-master,  stepping  around 
to  look  at  the  other  side;  but  the  man  gave  a  jerk 
at  the  halter,  shifted  his  own  position  a  little,  and 
the  horse  presented  the  same  side  to  Mr.  Hallett. 

"  Have  you  got  your  stamps,  partner  ?  The  liorse 
is  all  right,  squire." 

The  wagon-master  adroitly  caught  the  horse  by 
the  halter,  and  passed  around  to  the  other  side  still 
holding  him  with  one  hand,  and  with  the  other  he 
passed  it  over  the  foreshoulder,  looked  a  minute, 
then  said: 

"  Wait  a  minute  before  you  pay  the  man — there  is 
some  mistake  here ;  this  is  a  government  horse,  see 
the  U.  S.  brand." 

"Of  course.  I  bought  the  horse  of  Capt.  Turn- 
ley,  the  quartermaster  at  Denver." 

"  Ah  ;  where  is  the  quartermaster's  receipt  for  the 
money  ?"  '  ^ 

"  Well,  I  swear,  I  believe  I  left  it  at  Salt  Lake  ; 
but  it  don't  matter,  he  is  a  condemned  horse." 

*'  Where  is  the  I.  C.  (Inspected  Condemned) 
brand  ?" 

*'  Well,  now,  what's  the  use  in  fifin'  around.  I  tell 
you  it's  all  right.  I  bought  the  horse  fair  and  square, 
you  kin  take  my  word  for  it ;  everybody  knows  me. 
It's  all  right  partner,"  to  Eaton. 

Tom  had  been  in  the  service,  and  he  felt  that  it 
did  7iot  look  all  right ;  so  he  said  : 

*^  I  think  I  dare  not  buy  the  horse ;  of  course  I 


SHENANDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZON'S  BAR. 


ICO 


iu 


believe  you  bought  him  of  the  quartermaster,  but 
as  you  haven't  the  receipt— why  if  I  bought  him  I 
might  perchance  get  myself  in  hot  water  if  I  could 
not  show  how  I  came  in  possession  of  him  if  any 
person  asks  me." 

"Oh,  I'll  give  you  my  affidavy." 

"  But  that  won't  do,"  put  in  the  wagon-master. 

*'  Say,  look  a  heah,  my  aged  friend,  you  shoot  o^ 
your  mouth  too  much;  me  and  my  friend  here 
would  have  bin  perfectly  satisfied  in  this  trade  It 
you  hadn't  come  down." 

''Very  Hkely;  Mr.  Eaton  can  do  as  he  pleases/* 

*'  Of  course  he  will.     Now  partner,  it's  all  right  * 

"I  think  I  won't  purchase;  come,  Mr.  Halba 
we  will  return  to  camp." 

''The  white-headed  old  meddler;  I  am  a  goo.d 
notion  to  put  a  hole  inter  yer." 

The  wagon-master  slipped  his  hand  into  hi?i 
pocket  for  his  pistol,  but  he  had  left  it  at  the  train. 
The  ruffian  quick  as  thought  passed  his  hand  up  to 
his  neck,  drew  out  a  long  glittering  bowie,  and  ad- 
vanced a  step  and  was  about  to  spring  upon  the 
old  man,  who  was  defenceless. 

"  Now  I'll  be  hanged  if  this  ain't  growing  roman- 
tic," said  Eaton,  drawing  his  revolver  and  cocking 
it.  "  My  friend  from  Salt  Lake,  put  up  your  knife ; 
we  don't  need  it  just  now." 

The  rufhan  stepped  back  and  gave  a  peculiar 
whistle.  In  an  instant  three  men  who  had  been 
laying  under  a  wagon,  sprang  to  their  feet  and  hur- 
ried to  the  scene. 

"Now,  you  white-livered  pup,  FU  show  you  a 
trick  worth  two  of  that!     I'm  Roaring  Jake,  fresh 


174  SHENAKDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZON'S  BAR. 

from  Salt  Lake  ;  and  look  a  heah,  giv  me  that  money 
3'e  got  in  your  claw  and  I'll  let  ye  go — after  we've 
lit  out — if  yer  don't,  I'll  blow  the  stuffin'  out  of  both 
of  ye  in  the  shakin'  of  a  lamb's  tail." 

Behind  them  was  heard  the  sound  of  hoofs, 
Eaton  turned ;  a  party  of  cavalrymen,  eight  in 
number,  were  riding  toward  them  on  the  gallop. 
In  a  cloud  of  dust  they  came  up  to  where  the  party 
stood  watching  each  other. 

*'  What's  the  matter  here  ?"  said  a  corporal,  who 
seemed  to  be  the  only  officer  with  the  party. 

"  Nothing,"  answered  the  ruffian,  hiding  his 
bowie.  "  Nothing,  onl}^  these  fellers  were  trying  to 
euchre  me  out  of  a  hoss." 

The  corporal  looked  at  the  man  sharpl}^  then 
slipped  out  of  his  saddle  and  walked  towards  the 
horse,  who  during  the  time  had  been  cropping  the 
grass  near  them. 

"  Who  owns  this  horse?"— catching  at  the  bridle. 

"  I  do,  squire,"  answered  Roaring  Jake. 

"  Well,  you  are  the  man  I  want.  Just  had  a  tele- 
gram at  headquarters  from  Cottonwood.  You  stole 
that  horse  from  the  quartermaster.  You  answer  to 
the  description,  and  1  think  we  will  take  you  up  to 
the  fort." 

"  This  is  romantic,  my  fresh  Mormon  friend  ;  the 
government  has  sotired  upon  you." 

The  corporal  led  the  horse  up  to  one  of  his  men, 
who  took  the  halter,  then  turned  to  the  horse  thief: 

"■  Will  you  go  quietly,  or  will  we  have  to  bind 
you?" 

"  I'll  go  with  you." 

**  I  think  I  will  take  these  men  along  also,"  look- 


SHENAJTDOAH  ;    OE,   THE  HORIZOK  S  BAR.  175 

ing  at  the  party  who  had  answered  the  whistle  by 
their  presence. 

''  What  have  we  done  ?  "  growled  one  of  the  num- 
ber, moving  away. 

**  Halt !  Jones,  stop  that  man.  I  guess  you  are  all 
implicated  in  the  matter  and  I  will  take  you  up 
to  the  provost-marshal — so  about  face,  forward, 
march." 

The  party  moved  off  in  the  direction  of  Julesburg, 
while  the  wagon-master  and  Eaton  brought  up  the 
rear. 

"  I  owe  you  a  great  deal,  Mr.  Hallett.*' 

*'  Don't  mention  it.  I  wish  I  knew,  where  I  have 
seen  that  man  before." 

"  If  I  can  ever  be  of  service  to  3''ou,  do  not  hesitate 
to  ask." 

The  soldiers  with  their  prisoners  moved  on  toward 
the  fort ;  Tom  and  the  wagon-master  turned  off  the 
road  to  go  to  the  corral.  As  they  walked  along, 
Eaton  improvised : 

Now  Roaring  Jake  *^ 
Fresh  from  Salt  Lake 
He  cut  up  an  antic. 
He  stole  a  horse. 
Was  caught,  of  course ; 
Oh,  isn't  that  romantic. 


ITG         shena:n"doah  ;  or^  the  hoeizon's  bar. 


CHAPTER    XXII. 

THE  PROVOST-MARSHAL.     ' 

^' Where  is  the  new  Percy,  Tom?"  asks  Harry. 

*'  Ask  me  not, '  noble  duke.'  " 

''What's  the  matter?" 

"  Sit  down,  and  I'll  tell  you  all  about  it." 

Eaton  pushed  a  camp  stool  to  Fairleigh  and  the 
young  men  sat  down,  and  just  as  Tom  had  finished 
his  story,  the  corporal  who  made  the  arrest  of  the 
alleged  horse  thief  rode  into  the  corral. 

**  Excuse  me,  sir,"  said  the  soldier  to  Eaton,  **  the 
provost-marshal  requests  your  presence  at  the  fort; 
vou  will  not  be  detained  long.  The  man  arrested 
turns  out  to  be  a  notorious  horse  thief,  and  your 
testimony  is  necessary  to  convict  him." 

*'  Do  you  wish  me  now  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir," 

*'  All  right,  corporal." 

*'  Shall  I  go  with  you,  Tom  ?  "  said  Harry. 

*'  No,  I  won't  trouble  3'ou ;   I  will  return  soon." 

Eaton,  guided  by  the  officer,  soon  reached  the 
parade  ground  ;  and  as  they  were  crossing  to  head- 
quarters, a  soldier  advanced  from  an  adobe  house 
on  the  left  of  the  ground,  and  said : 

"  The  provost-marshal  is  in  the  guard  tent." 

The  corporal  then  turned  to  the  right  and  led  the 
way  to  an  adobe  building.  A  sentiy,  with  a  drawn 
sabre,  stood  at  the  door  as  they  entered. 

A  young  officer,  wearing   the   straps  of  a  first 


SHEKAKBOAH  ;    OH,    THE  HORlZON^S  BAK.  1 77 

lieutenant  of  cavalry,  sat  at  a  large  round  table  cov- 
ered with  papers.  The  windows  of  the  room  were 
grated,  and  in  one  corner,  with  his  hands  bound, 
was  the  horse  thief;  two  soldiers  stood  near  him. 

"  Take  a  seat,  sir,"  said  the  lieutenant.  "  Your 
name,  please?  "  taking  a  pen  in  his  hand. 

"  Thomas  Eaton." 

-Whereof?" 

"  City  of  New  York,  late  of  the  staff  of  General 
Merritt,  army  of  the  Shenandoah." 

*'  Happy  to  meet  you,  sir,"  extending  his  hand. 
'*  Will  you  please  tell  me  slowly  and  briefly,  so  that 
I  may  take  it  down,  all  that  occurred  in  regard  to 
the  selling  of  a  horse  by  this  man." 

"  As  our  train  passed,"  said  Eaton,  "  I  saw  this 
man  cleaning  a  horse,  and  being  in  want  of  one  and 
rather  liking  his  whole  appearance,  I  asked  the  price, 
and  we  finally  agreed  upon  the  sum  of  two  hundred 
and  twenty-five  dollars.  I  went  up  to  my  wagon, 
took  the  money  out  of  my  trunk,  and  was  going 
down  where  I  left  the  man  and  horse,  when  the 
wagon-master,  to  whom  I  mentioned  my  intention, 
said  he  would  come  with  me.  He  came ;  saw  the 
U.  S.  brand  on  the  horse,  and  asked  about  it,  the 
man  said  he  bought  the  horse  of  Captain,  I  forget 
his  name,  the  quartermaster  at  Denver — " 

"  Turnley." 

"  Yes,  that  was  the  name.  The  man  could  not 
show^  a  receipt,  said  he  had  lost  it,  and  as  we  turned 
to  go  away,  drew  a  bowie  knife  upon  the  wagon- 
master.  I  interfered ;  when  Roaring  Jake,  as  he 
calls  himself,  whistled,  and  three  men  came  to  his 
assistance." 


ITS  SHEKAKDOAH;    or,   the  HORIZOi^^S  BAR. 

•'  Where  are  those  men,  corporal?" 

"  In  the  old  guard-house,  sir." 

"  Proceed,  Mr.  Eaton." 

"  The  man  said  if  I  would  hand  over  the  money, 
he  would  let  us  go.  Just  then  the  corporal  came 
up  with  his  men  and  rescued  us." 

''  That  will  do.  There,  I  have  it  all  down.  Will 
you  sign  your  deposition,  please?  That's  not  a 
good  pen ;  sign  here.  Take  the  hook.  You 
solemnly  swear  that  the  affidavit  subscribed  is  true, 
so  help  you  God." 

"  Yes,  sir ;"  kissing  the  book. 

"  Corporal,  remove  the  prisoner.  Take  him  to  one 
of  the  new  adobe  huts ;  put  a  guard  over  him.  I  will 
see  the  colonel  and  agree  upon  the  sentence  this 
afternoon." 

The  man  was  taken  from  the  room,  as  he  passed 
out  of  the  door  he  turned  and  muttered  something  ; 
the  guard  hurried  him  off. 

"  Take  a  cigar,  Mr.  Eaton.     Here  is  a  match." 

"  Thank  you.     That  fellow  has  an  ugly  look." 

"  Yes,  he  is  a  bad  man,  the  leader  of  a  gang  of 
horse  thieves  ;  we  haVe  held  him  twice  on  suspicion, 
but  have  never  been  able  to  fasten  the  thing  on  him 
till  now.  You  were  with  the  eastern  arm}^  Mr. 
Eaton  ?" 

"  Yes,  sir;  nearly  all  the  members  of  our  mining 
company  are  ex-officers  of  that  army." 

"  I  belonged  to  the  western  army  under  Sher- 
man. I  would  be  glad  to  have  you  call  at  head- 
quarters this  evening  ;  I  will  try  and  make  it  pleas- 
ant for  you  and  your  friends." 

**  I  will  speak  to  them  about  it.    We  had  an  officer 


SHEI^AKDOAH  ;    OR,    THE   HORIZOX^S   BAR.  iT'O 

of  the  — th  with  us  from  Fort  Kearney,  Adjutant 
Dumfries." 

"  Yes,  he  relieves  me ;  he  was  in  here  just  before 
you  came.  I  join  my  regiment  at  Camp  Ward  well, 
one  hundred  miles  west  of  this  post." 

'*  Then  I  beg  you  to  accept  the  hospitality  of  our 
train  and  mess." 

"  Do  it,  heutenant,"  said  Dumfries,  who  entered 
the  room. 

''  I  hope  I  can.     I'll  try,  at  any  rate." 

"  Have  you  had  any  trouble  with  the  Indians  on 
3'Our  trip  ?" 

"  We  had  a  brush  a  week  ago  with  three  hundred 
Comanches  this  side  of  Cottonwood  ;  no  one  killed. 
Our  herder  was  badly  wounded." 

"  Scouts  have  come  in,  but  their  reports  are  very 
contradictory.  Some  say  the  Indians  are  north  of 
the  North  Fork  of  the  Platte,  others  that  they  are 
farther  south  upon  the  Smoky  Hill." 

"  Excuse  me,"  said  Dumfries,  "  have  3^ou  gentle- 
men been  introduced  ?" 

*'  I  think  not,"  replied  the  lieutenant. 

''  Then  allow  me — Mr.  Delahanty,  of  the  — th,  Mr. 
Eaton  late  of  the  staff  of  General  Merritt." 

"  What  was  I  saying?  oh,  I  remember;  Colonel 
Wynkoop,  and  he  is  probably  the  best  authority, 
thinks  the  main  body  has  yet  to  go  south,  and  here 
we  place  great  faith  in  what  he  says.  He  also  says 
that  the  Indians  mean  mischief ;  they  are  getting 
ready  for  the  war-path.  We  cannot  learn  much  from 
the  scouts  ;  indeed  you  cannot  tell  hardly  w^iat  to 
think,  we  do  pretty  much  as  General  Sherman 
used  to  when  we  went  to  sea  with  him.      Staff 


180         SHEXAKDOAH  ;    OK,   THE  HORIZOI^^S  BAfi. 

officers  used  to  come  out  from  various  parts  of  the 
field  of  battle  Avith  conflicting  reports  as  to  the 
enemy's  numbers  and  position  ; — he  used  to  close  his 
eyes  and  guess  what  to  do.  Of  one  thing  we  are 
certain,  wherever  the  Indians  are  they  mean  mis- 
chief. They  have  buried  the  tomahawk  as  far  as 
their  own  internal  feuds  are  concerned  and  have 
united  with  a  common  purpose,  '  war  to  the  knife  ' 
with  the  whites." 

"  I  do  not  wi§h  to  be  inquisitive  in  regard  to  your 
views  in  regard  to  the  Indian  question." 

"  Oh,  I  make  no  seci'et  of  them.  I  think  there  is 
but  one  way.  They  won't  work,  its  against  their 
nature  ;  all  that  will  ever  stop  them  is  to  extermi- 
nate them.  I  did  not  think  so  before  I  came  on 
the  plains.  I  had  rather  a  sympathy  for  Fennimore 
Cooper's  red  man.  Gentlemen,  Mr.  '  Lo,  the  poor 
Indian  *  is  a  fraud.  Your  feelings  change  when  you 
go  among  them  and  have  them  killing  and  scalping 
around  you." 

"  I  suppose  so.  My  friends  tell  me  the  worst 
men  out  in  this  country  are  the  whites  and  half- 
breeds  among  the  Indians.  There  is  Bent,  for  in- 
stance, the  son  of  the  man  who  built  Bent's  Fort, 
down  on  the  Arkansas.  He  is  one  of  the  worst  men 
in  the  present  war,  a  perfect  dare-devil ;  often  visits 
the  military  posts  in  disguise,  if  he  is  taken  he  always 
manages  to  escape  in  some  way.  General  Connor 
met  him  face  to  face  one  time  at  Fort  Kearney  ;  the 
general  knew  him  very  well  and  would  have  shot 
him,  or  had  him  taken,  but  the  fellow  absolutely  lied 
to  the  general — who  is  one  of  the  best  Indian  lighters 
in  the  west  and  up  to  all  their  tricks.     Bent  de- 


SHENAKDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZON^S  BAR.  181 

clared  that  he  was  not  the  man  at  all  ;  that  he  was 
an  emigrant.  No  one"  else  at  the  fort  knew  the  man, 
and  the  general  w^ould  not  keep  him  on  his  own 
recollection  and  so  let  him  go." 

Just  then  the  bugles  sounded. 

"  Supper  time,  w-ont  you  stay  and  partake  of 
soldier's  fare?" 

"  No,  I  thank  you  lieutenant ;  we  will  return," 
said  Eaton. 

"  Come  up  this  evening  ;  it's  but  ^step  from  your 
camp,  bring  along  as  many  as  you  please.  We  will 
tr}^  and  give  you  a  good  time  at  headquarters." 

The  young  men  assented  to  this  and  returned  to 
camp. 


CHAPTER   XXIII. 

A  soldier's  a  man  ; 
A  life's  but  a  span  ; 
Why  then,  let  a  soldier  drink  ? — Shakspeare. 

In  the  evening  quite  a  party  visited  the  head- 
quarters ;  were  introduced  to  the  ofiEcers  by  Lieu- 
tenant Delahanty.  Adjutant  Dumfries  came  in, 
and  hours  passed  pleasantly  away  in  story-telling. 
The  officers  who  had  been  on  the  frontier  for  many 
years  entertained  them  with  accounts  of  hunts  and 
Indian  fights.  Delahanty,  who  was  with  Genera? 
Sherman  in  his  great  march  through  Georgia,  gave 
many  an  interesting  story  of  ''  the  march  to  the 
sea."  It  was  near  ten  o'clock  when  the  members 
rose  to  take  their  leave. 


.-^^ 


182  SHEKAKDOAH  ;    OE,   THE  HOElZOis^'S  BAB. 

*'  Stay  !  stay  ! — its  early  yet,"  said  the  Command- 
ant-Colonel O'Neil,  a  handsome  gray-haired,  sol- 
dierly-looking- man. 

The  young  men  again  took  their  seats. 

''  By  jove  !"  said  Eaton,  **  it's  raining." 

Sure  enough  the  rain  pattered  hard  against  the 
window-panes. 

The  storm  was  raging  without. 

"  You  will  have  to  take  soldiers'  fare  for  to-night, 
gentlemen,"  said  Delahanty. 

''Jackson!"  said  an  officer  to  a  sleepy  negro, 
"  stir  up  the  back  log !  Throw  on  some  more 
wood !  and  let  us  have  a  good  time  of  it !" 

The  command  was  obe3^ed  ;  the  fire  began  to 
blaze,  and  the  room  looked  bright  and  cheery. 

A  brown  earthen  pitcher,  filled  with  clear  water 
from  a  spring,  sat  upon  the  table  surrounded  by 
mugs  and  glasses. 

"  Few  officers  in  our  army  of  the  Shenandoah," 
said  Colonel  O'Neil,  "but  what  were  well  ac- 
quainted with  Major  Sam  Wetherell,  the  nth 
Penns3dvania  Cavalry.  His  uniform  kindness,  his 
gallantr}^,  and  gentlemanly  conduct  had  made  in 
the  army  hosts  of  friends.  When  the  regiment  lay 
at  Portsmouth,  Virginia,  Major  Wetherell  was  in- 
vited everywhere,  for  he  was  excellent  company. 

One  day  he  was  division  officer  of  the  day. 
During  the  morning  he  rode  out  to  the  picket-line. 
After  inspection  he  was  returning  to  the  cit}^  when 
he  spied  an  officer  with  a  red  sash  on  his  shoulder 
riding  slowly  down  the  hills  in  front  of  him. 
"John,"  said  the  major  to  his  orderly,  "  here 
comes  another  officer  of  the  day,  what's  up  ?  " 


SSEKAKDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HOBIZOK^S  BAR.         183 

"  I  dunno,  sir,"  said  the  man,  "  I  sposes  he  comes 
to  relieve  you  for  sunthen  or  other." 

The  officer  now  neared  the  major,  and  saluting, 
handed  him  a  paper.  It  was  an  order  from  Gener- 
al Getty  to  Major  Parsons,  directing  him  to  relieve 
Major  Wetherill,  who  was  to  join  his  regiment  then 
under  marching  orders.  Major  Parsons  also  handed 
Major  Wetherill  a  letter  from  the  latter's  colonel. 

*' At  Camp  : 
"  Major.  We  move  out  to-morrow  morning, 
everything  is  in  confusion  here,  your  battalion  will 
remain  until  the  afternoon,  I  know  of  nothing  for 
you  to  do.  Better  go  down  to  Portsmouth  and  say 
good-by.  Spear." 

The  major  gladly  accepted  the  colonel's  advice ; 
he  extended  his  ride  to  the  city  giving  his  horse  to 
his  orderly,  he  said  he  would  return  to  the  camp 
on  foot. 

Some  time  during  the  evening  Wetherill  visited 
around  ;  everybody  was  glad  to  see  him,  and  meet- 
ing the  major  of  the  — th  R.  I.,  they  made  a  visit 
to  the  gunboats  that  lay  in  the  stream.  Captain 
Wetmore  of  the  Reliance  turned  out  the  marines 
in  honor  of  the  visitors.  Dinner  was  ordered,  and 
they  sat  long  at  the  board ;  perhaps  they  were  a 
little  dazed  as  they  went  over  the  sides  into  the  row- 
boat  after  saying  adieu  to  the  gallant  commander. 
It  was  about  nine  o'clock  when  the  major  started 
for  camp.  When  about  a  mile  away  he  passed  the 
headquarters  of  the  Fourth  Rhode  Island ;  it  was 
a  large  Southern  mansion,  and  hearing  singing  and 
laughter,  he  walked  up  the  broad  steps  and  looked 


184         SHEKAKDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZOX^S  BAR. 

in  the  window.  A  large  party  of  officers  of  the 
Fourth  Rhode  Island  and  the  Eleventh  Pennsylva- 
nia were  having  a  roaring  time ;  it  was  the  break- 
ing up  of  camp.  He  opened  the  door  and  walked 
in  the  room. 

''  Aha,  Major,  jes  in  time  ;  where's  that  ole  bour- 
bon ?  "  said  an  officer  of  the  Fourth. 

"  There  lies  the  whiskey  bottle  empty  on  the 
shelf,"  sang  out  another. 

''  Say,  brothers  will  you  meet  us."  Now  followed 
a  drunken  chorus;  the  officers  of  the  various  regi- 
ments locked  in  each  others  arms  and  shouting 
over  each  others  shoulders  as  loud  as  they  could. 

"  Where's  that  old  bourbon?"  asked  Lieutenant 
Williams.  *'  Here  Tom  Eaton,"  he  said  to  me,  you 
can  see  to  walk  straight,  go  and  see  if  Lieutenant 
Baker  has  any  in  his  tent."    Then  he  roared : 

"  Oh  we  will  all  feel  gay,"  etc.,  etc. 

"  Never  mind  me,''  said  the  major,  ''  I  don't  care 
to  drink." 

"  Yes,  yes,  you  must,"  said  one  of  the  officers  of 
the  Fourth  Rhode  Island,  ''  ain'  we  goin'  away  to- 
morrer?  How  you  know  (hie)  that  you  won't  git 
killed  in  the  first  battle?" 

I  went  into  Baker's  tent ;  I  found  that  the  lieuten- 
ant  and  a   friend,  an   officer  of   the    Fourth,  Avere 
going  it  alone,  but  I  secured  a  demijohn  and  re- 
turned with  it. 
,  "  Major  Wetherill,  join  us — join  us." 

"Certainly." 

*'  Here's  a  toast;  health  to  our  enemies  and  con- 
fusion to  our  friends." 

'*  Oh,  sit  down  Matthews  ;  you're  drunk." 


SHENAI^DOAH  ;    OK,   THE   HORIZON'S  BAR.  185 

"  Pull  him  down,  Williams." 

''  Well,  now  a  song — a  song — song!'* 

**  Here's  to  our  gallant  m^jor — " 

"  For  he's  a  jolly  good  fellow, 
That  nobody  can  deny." 

The  rafters  of  that  old  Virginia  dwelling  shook 
with  the  loud  chorus  ;  every  now  and  then  there 
would  be  a  fall,  and  somebody  would  drop  on  the 
floor.  The  song  grew  fainter,  until  at  last  the  ma- 
jor sat  at  the  table  with  no  one  sitting  up  but  lieu- 
tenant Charley  G.,  who  still  in  a  very  weak  manner 
continued  the  song.  All  around  the  floor  in  all 
sorts  of  shapes,  heads  down  and  feet  in  chairs,  full 
length  under  the  table,  curled  up  in  the  corners,  shut 
up  like  a  jack-knife  with  their  heads  at  their  feet. 
Lieutenant  Charley  G.  faced  the  major,  his  eyes 
were  half  closed,  a  good-humored  smile  pla3^ed 
across  his  face  as  with  his  hands  braced  on  the  table 
to  keep  him  from  going  over,  he  sang  ^ry  faintly : 

"  That  nobody  can  (hie)  deny,  that  nobody  can — 
keep  it  up  lads,  rise  it, — deny,  for  he's  a  jolly  good 
fellow — "  one  arm'  gave  wa}^,  and  the  lieutenant 
rolled  over  on  the  floor.  ' 

The  major  rose,  opened  the  door,  a  moonlight 
night  and  one  mile  to  camp  ;  he  started  along  the 
road,  he  stumbled  a  little,  stopped  and  asked  him- 
self the  question. 

"  Am  I  drunk  ?  of  course  not.  I  have  been  down 
in  the  gunboat,  having  a  good  time,  and  at  the 
*  break-up,'  I  can  remember,  my  head  is  a  clear  as 
a  bell,"     He  reached  camp,  he  stumbled  onge  or 


186  SHENANDOAH  ;    OE,   THE  HORIZON'S  BAR. 

twice,  and  he  doubted  his  own  capacity  to  judge 
of  his  condition. 

*'  I  can  tell  how  I  can  find  out  whether  I  am 
drunk  or  not ;  if  I  can  put  my  thumb  on  the  door- 
latch  without  bracing  myself  up  with  the  other 
hand  against  the  side  of  my  cabin,  I  am  all  right." 

The  regiment  had  been  in  winter  quarters,  and 
little  comfortable  log-cabins  had  been  built. 

The  major  tried  the  experiment.  He  tried  and 
tried  in  vain,  first  on  one  side  of  the  latch  then  on 
the  other  would  the  thumb  descend. 

Doctor  Mason,  the  surgeon  of  the  regiment,  from 
the  window  of  his  cabin  was  an  amused  spectator ; 
he  opened  the  door. 

"  What's  the  matter  major?" 

"  Oh,  nuthin' at  all,  nuthin'.  I've  been  down -on 
board  the  bun-goats,  havin'  a  good  time  breakin'  ale 
up — good  night." 

Six  months  rolled  by.  The  major  thought  the 
affair  had  been  forgotten.  General  Kantz  had 
taken  comi#and  of  the  division,  and  one  day  the 
major  sat  in  the  general's  tent. 

Lieutenant  G.  rode  up ;  he  was  a  little  rocky  on 
his  horse,  and  asked  the  m.ajor  to  give  him  a  little 
*'  nux ;"  that  mysterious  remedy  for  certain  erratic 
movements. 

The  major  went  to  his  tent,  opened  his  medicine 
chest,  and  gave  the  young  man  the  dose,  who 
mounted  his  horse  and  rode  off  sober. 

*'  What  was  the  matter  with  the  young  man, 
major?"  said  the  general,  when  he  returned. 

"  Oh,  a  little  bothered,  that's  all." 

"  I  guess,"  said  the  general  in  his  slow,  dry  way, 


she:n'axdoah  ;  oe,  the  horizok's  bar.       187 

**  I  guess  the  young  man  must  have  been  down  on 
board  the  bun-goats^ 

The  rain  continued  to  pour  down,  and  the  party 
were  still  joyous. 

"  I  think,"  said  the  colonel,  "  that  we  will  have 
to  find  shelter  for  you  here  to-night,  gentlemen." 

The  members  agreed  to  this;  blankets  were 
brought  up  and  comfortable  beds  were  made  upon 
the  floor. 

*'  RoUin,"  said  Harry,  "  1  do  not  like  to  leave  the 
girls  almost  alone  down  at  the  camp,  I  am  going 

back." 

"  I  was  just  thinking  of  that  myself,  and  will  go 

with  you." 
The  rain  had  ceased  somewhat,  and  they  rose  to 


go- 


"  Good  night,  all." 

"  Going?"  from  the  members  who  were  undress- 


ing. 

"Yes." 


**  I  will  pass  you  out  of  the  lines  if  you  think  you 
must  go,"  said  Delahanty. 

''  Do  so,  please ;  I  think  it's  our  duty  to  return." 

The  lieutenant  led  the  way  across  the  parade 
ground.     It  did  not  rain  hard  now. 

"  What  a  tall  liberty-pole  that  is,"  said  Harry, 
looking  at  the  staff  as  they  passed  beneath  it. 

"  Yes,  it  was  raised  the  fourth  of  July.  A  singu- 
lar circumstance  occurred;  just  as  the  flag  was  run 
up,  a  large  eagle  came  flying  along  and  perched  on 
the  very  top." 

*'  That  was  singular." 

^'  §ome  men  began  to  fire  at  our  national  bird,  the 


188  SHEl^AlfDOAH  ;    OR,    THE   HORIZOJ^'S  BAR. 

colonel  was  ver_y  angry  and  said  he  would  punish 
severely  any  one  that  harmed  it,  but  some  mean- 
spirited  wretch,  when  the  soldiers  were  not  watch- 
ing it,  shot  the  bird." 

They  had  now  reached  the  lines.  The  sentry 
halted  them. 

The  countersign  was  given  the  soldier  by  the 
lieutenant,  and  shaking  hands,  Rollin  and  Harry 
walked  hurriedly  towards  camp. 

It  was  a  very  dark  night,  and  they  moved  along 
the  road  cautiously  ;  a  light  is  just  ahead  of  them  in 
a  ranche  window,  they  pass  it  and  can  just  make 
out  the  white  covers  of  the  wagons. 

It  rains  hard  again,  and  now  it  pours  down. 

"Let  us  seek  shelter  somewhere," 

"Ah,  here  is  a  deserted  ranche  just  off  to  the 
left,  I  noticed  it  as  we  came  up  this  evening. 


CHAPTER   XXIV. 

*'  If  by  the  blaze  I  mark  aright," — Scott. 

They  gained  the  ranche.  The  road  here  ran 
near  the  river,  and  it  seemed  upon  the  very  bank. 
It  had  been  torn  down  in  front,  and  in  the  darkness 
the  young  men  stumbled  over  cakes  of  sod  and 
fallen  rafters ;  they  reached  a  part  where  the 
roof  seemed  whole,  and  they  sat  down  upon  an 
empty  cask  and  wiped  the  perspiration  and  rain 
from  their  faces. 

"  This  is  a  gloomy  place  ;  look  at  the  bats  floating 
around." 


SHEN^ANDOAH  ;    OR,   THE   HORIZOK^S  BAR.  189 

The  rain  continued  to  pour  down  in  torrents. 
Now  a  heavy  peal  of  thunder  that  seemed  to  shake 
the  sides  of  the  ruined  ranche,  then  a  vivid  flash  of 
lightning-  reveals  the  broken  walls  and  the  rubbish 
scattered  on  the  floor.  Broken  bottles,  a  table  minus 
one  leg,  rusty  iron  hoops,  a  tin  kettle  without  a 
spout,  a  shattered  bedstead  stood  in  the  corner, 
and  other  articles  of  furniture  more  or  less  maimed 
and  deformed. 

**  I  wonder  who  lived  here,  Rollin  ?  '* 
'*  I  am  sure  I  cannot  tell  you.     How  it  storms." 
His  thoughts  were  upon  the  maiden  at  the  camp. 
He  hoped  she  would  not  feel  afraid. 
*'  Hark  !  Harr3%  what  was  that  noise?'* 
"  There  is  some  one  in  here  beside  ourselves." 
**  Hush — softly  ;  have  you  any  matches  ?  " 
*'Yes." 

"  Give  me  three  or  four ;  I  am  sure  I  heard  some 
one  speak." 

Rollin  struck  the  match,  and  by  its  light  they 
looked  around ;  nothing  was  to  be  seen  save  the 
ruins  within  and  without. 

''  Light  another,  Rollin ;  I  think  I  saw  a  kind  "of  a 
door  off  in  that  corner  to  the  left." 

The  match  was  burning  in  Vincent's  hand  ;  he 
caught  up  a  piece  of  paper,  made  a  kind  of  a  torch 
of  it,  and  the  young  men  started  to  explore  the 
ruins.  They  passed  through  an  archway  that  had 
probably  served  as  a  door,  turned  to  the  left  down 
a  narrow  hallway,  there  was  a  wall  in  front  of 
them  made  of  sod  ;  the  paper  had  burned  out  and 
they  were  in  the  dark. 


190  SHEXAN"DOAH  ;    OR,    THE   IIORIZOK'S  BAR. 

"Can  we  find  our  way  out?"  asks  Harry  in  a 
whisper. 

*' Yes,  follow  me — what's  that?" 

A  small  narrow  streak  of  light  fell  across  the  floor ; 
it  came  from  a  room  at  the  end  of  the  ruined  ranche. 

It  was  a  large  room,  briUiantly  Hghted,  and  at  a 
large  table  in  the  centre  sat  four  men ;  they  were 
playing  cards.  At  the  end  of  the  room,  facing  the 
crevice  where  Rollin  and  Harry  were  peering,  was 
a  door  that  evidently  opened  out  upon  the  Platte 
River,  for  the  ranche  was  near  the  river  bank. 

From  their  position  the  young  men  could  only 
see  the  faces  of  three  of  the  men  at  the  table,  the 
other  man  sat  with  his  back  to  them. 

Rollin  drew  out  his  knife,  and  silently  cut  a  hole 
in  the  soft  material  that  formed  the  wall ;  in  this 
way  they  could  both  hear  and  see  what  was  going 
on  inside  now. 

The  men  were  gambling  for  a  number  of  bank 
notes  laid  in  the  centre  of  the  table. 

"  Well,  Frank,  I  never  expected  to  see  you  again 
since  that  night  in  '  Frisco,' "  said  the  ma^  at  the 
table  who  faced  Rollin  and  Harry. 

He  was  a  tall,  broad-shouldered  man  ;  his  face 
was  closely  shaven,  and  he  would  have  been  called 
good-looking,  had  it  not  been  for  an  ugly  scar  run- 
ning across  his  forehead,  over  the  nose,  and  down 
his  cheek.  He  was  dressed  rather  roughly  like  the 
others,  who  seemed  to  be — judging  from  their  cos- 
tumes— wagon  drivers. 

"  Yes,  Jack,"  said  the  man  who  sat  opposite  to 
him,  "  that  was  a  tough  nighty  that  night  in  S^in 
p'rangisco/' 


shexandoah;  or,  the  hobizon's  bar.        191 

The  young'  men  started. 

It  was  Adderly's  voice. 

They  could  not  see  his  face,  yet  they  were  sure  it 
was  the  man ;  they  drew  very  near  the  wall,  and 
listened. 

''A  good  haul,"  said  the  man  with  the  scar  on 
his  face,  drawing  the  money  on  the  table  towards 
him.  ''  Here,  partner,  is  your  slice,"  handing  a 
roll  of  bills  to  Adderly,  for  it  was  he  who  counted 
them,  rolled  them  up,  and  placed  them  in  his 
pocket, 

*'  Haven't  you  got  anything  to  drink  in  this 
place?"  said  the  man  who  sat  on  Adderly's  left. 

"  Here,  Cyrus — Cyrus  !  "  said  the  man  with  the 
scarred  face. 

The  door  opened,  and  a  little  negro  about  fifteen 
years  old  put  his  head  in. 

"  Git  down  in  the  cellar,  and  bring  up  that  demi- 
john that  sets  near  the  lowest  step ;  make  haste." 

The  negro  soon  made  his  appearance  with  the 
demijohn.  Glasses  were  produced  from  a  cupboard 
in  the  corner,  and  soon  filled. 

"  Go  now,  Cyrus,  and  keep  a  sharp  lookout ;  if 
anybody  comes  let  us  know — you  hear?" 

''  Yes,  sah." 

"  You  haven't  seen  the  man  I  expected,  have 
you?"  asked  Adderly. 

"  No,  sah,  haven't  seen  any  mans  at  all." 

"  I  guess  he  won't  come,  Frank,"  said  Jack. 

''  May  be  not." 

"  Goin' to  play  agin  fellows?"  asked  Jack,  look- 
ing at  the  men  upon  his  ri^ht  and  left? 


192       sheitain^doah  ;  oe,  the  horizoj^'s  bar. 

"  I  don't  care  if  I  do.  I  kindy  want  revenge  on 
*em,  don't  you,  Boston?" 

"  Yes,  we'll  go  twenty  up — now  mind,  no  skull- 
duggery or  I'll  let  moonlight  into  some  of  yar," 
replied  the  other. 

The  game  now  began. 

There  was  a  noise  heard  without  and  the  negro 
opened  the  door. 

"What's  the  matter?"  said  Jack,  starting  up  in 
surprise,  with  his  right  hand  ready  to  knock  over 
the  lamp  and  holding  in  his  left  a  revolver. 

*'  Here's  dat  man  you  said  was  a  comin'." 

"  Oh,  it's  only  him  is  it?  Let  him  come  in,"  said 
the  man,  resuming  his  seat. 

The  door  opened  and  in  stepped  Churchill.  He 
was  wet  with  rain,  and  as*  he  sat  down  upon  the 
keg  that  was  offered  to  him  by  the  negro  boy, 
Harry  remarked  "  How  pale  and  thin  he  looks." 

"  Yes,  I  fear  that  he  is  in  the  toils  of  the  serpent," 
replied  Rollin,  in  a  whisper. 

"  Stormy  might,  stranger,"  said  Jack. 

"  Yes,  very,"  replied  Churchill. 

Both  Adderly  and  Churchill  had  been  invited  to 
join  the  reunion  at  the  fort,  at  least  he  asked 
Churchill,  requesting  him  to  ask  his  friend,  but 
neither  of  them  came. 

*'  What  made  you  so  late  ?"  said  Adderly. 

"  I  waited  till  all  was  quiet  in  camp." 

"  Shall  we  go  on  with  the  game?"  asks  Jack." 

"  Yes.     All  ready—" 

*'  Don't  light  your  segar  stranger,  whar  you're 
sittin'.  It's  a  powder-keg  you're  on,  and  the  head 
isn't  fast,  its  just  sot  in.     Ye  may  turn  over  by  acQJ- 


dent,  and  blow  us  all  up,  sit  down  on  the  bed  there 
in  the  corner." 

Churchill  rose  and  sat  down  on  a  rough  bed  or 
bunk  in  the  corner  of  the  room,  and  watched  the 
game. 

"  I  think  we  had  better  return  now,"  whispered 
Harry. 

"  Wait  a  few  minutes." 

"  If  you  ain't  won  agin,"  said  one  of  the  men. 

"Ain't  the}^  lucky  cusses;  les'  fill  up  agin." 

The  glasses  were  again  filled  with  liquor. 

"  Shall  we  try  'em  agin,  Boston  ?" 

"  Yes,  once  more  ;  ante  up  twenty  dollars." 

The  game  began. 

Rollin  was  about  to  turn  away  when  Harry 
caught  him  by  the  arm,  "  See  how  excited  they  are 
growing.     I  think  we  will  have  a  fight  shortly." 

Rollin  again  peered  through  the  crevice.  The 
liquor  was  beginning  to  work,  to  arouse  their 
worse  passions,  to  inflame  their  natures. 

"  I  said  you  cheated,  and  you  know  it." 

"You  lie." 

"  Take  that." 

A  pistol  shot.  Then  the  table  was  thrown  over 
and  the  lamp  fell  to  the  floor ;  all  was  dark.  They 
could  hear  scuffling  taking  place  within,  and  seiz- 
ing Harry's  hand  Rollin  led  the  way  out  of  the 
ruined  ranche  and  hurried  along  the  road.  They 
did  not  speak  for  a  few  moments,  but  walked  on 
in  silence.  A  loud  explosion  caused  them  to  turn 
around.     The  ranche  had  been  blown  up. 

They  reached  camp  ;  as  they  were  entering  their 
tent  the  wagon-master  came  up,  and  asked, 


194         SHEKAlSfDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZON  S  BAR. 

"  What  was  that  noise  ?" 

"  It  sounded  like  an  explosion,"  said  Harry,  evad- 
ing a  direct  answer. 

"  I  did  not  know  but  what  you  might  know." 

"  It's  been  an  awful  night,"  said  Rollin,  trying  to 
change  the  subject. 

"  Yes,  the  ground  is  so  wet  that  it  will  be  hard 
pulling.  I  have  given  orders  to  the  herder  not  to 
bring  up  the  stock  in  the  morning.  I  think  we 
won't  roll  out  until  the  grouiui  gets  hard  and  dry. 
Good-night,  gentlemen." 

"  Good-night.  Stay,  Mr.  Hallett,  the  members 
were  provided  with  accommodations  at  the  fort 
to-night,  and  will  not  return  to  camp  until  morn- 
ing. I  tell  you  this  lest  you  might  think  some- 
thing had  happened  them." 

"  Thank  you.  I  saw  Mr.  Churchill  pass  out  of 
camp  about  an  hour  ago,  did  you  meet  him  in  the 
road  ?" 

*' Yes — no — that  is  I  met  him  in  Julesburg,"  an- 
swered Harry. 

"  I  wonder  what  should  take  him  out  so  stormy  a 
night,  and  at  such  an  hour.  I  suppose  he  has  gone 
to  find  Mr.  Adderly.     Good-night,  again." 

"Good-night." 

It  was  near  morning  when  the  young  men  fell 
asleep,  for  they  dwelt  long  upon  the  events  of  the 
evening.  Approaching  footsteps  awoke  them,  and 
looking  out  of  their  tent  they  saw  Adderly  and 
Churchill  enter,  Adderly  seemed  to  walk  with  dif- 
ficulty, and  his  right  arm  was  is  a  sling." 

The  young  men  again  sought  their  blankets  and 
and  once  more  wooed  the  drowsy  god. 


iSHEXAXDOAH  ;    OIlj    THE   HOElZON^S  BAR.  105 


CHAPTER   XXV. 

The  train  started  late  in  the  morning.  The 
breakfast  was  eaten  in  silence.  The  members  wore 
their  great  coats,  and  that  meal  over  there  was 
little  inclination  among  the  teamsters  to  "harness 
up,"  as  the  roads  were  muddy  from  the  rain.  It 
was  ten  o'clock  before  the  order  was  given  to  start, 
and  the  cavalcade  moved  on  a  disheartened  band. 

At  noon  there  was  no  disposition  to  halt,  and  it 
was  late  in  the  afternoon  when  the  train  corralled 
for  the  night  near  the  river.  The  sun  had  shown 
faint  signs  of  piercing  the  clouds  during  the  morn- 
ing, but  it  now  came  forth  in  glory,  reviving  the 
drooping  spirits  of  the  gold  hunters. 

Dinner  and  supper  were  served  together.  The 
members  were  scattered  about  the  camp  in  pictur- 
esque groups,  smoking  and  chatting,  when  Mere- 
dith came  from  his  tent  with  a  tin  box  in  his  hand, 
and  looking  very  much  disturbed  said : 
g4''  Gentlemen,  if  this  is  a  joke,  I  beg  of  you  not  to 
carry  it  any  further,  but  relieve  me  at  once  of  this 
anxiety." 

*'  What's  the  matter?"  said  a  dozen  voices  at  once. 

"  Why  the  cash-box  has  been  robbed,  and  all  the 
company's  money  is  gone.'* 

*'  There  is  surely  some  mistake,  no  one  could 
have  access  to  the  tent  but  members,  and  they  of 
course  would  not."  And  at  once  a  hundred  reas- 
suring^suggestions  were  made. 

**  That  is  all  very  well,  gentlemen,  but  here  is  the 


196         SHE1?"AKD0AS  ;    0%   Tfi£  EORIZOIh'S  BAH. 

box  in  the  middle  of  my  tent,  broken  open  and  the 
money  gone.  It  could  not  go  without  hands. 
Whose  hands?" 

"  There  is  only  one  way  to  find  it,"  said  Adderly, 
w^ho  stood  with  averted  face  leaning  against  a  wag- 
on-wheel. 

''  How's  that?"  asked  Meredith,  quickly. 

**  Why  look  for  it,"  sneered  he. 

*'  Yes,  let  us  search  the  tents,"  said  Churchill. 

"  I  do  not  like  this,"  said  Fairleigh.  "  No  man 
shall  search  my  tent." 

**  An  innocent  man  need  not  be  afraid,"  said  Ad- 
derly. 

"Is  that  what  makes  you  so  willing?"  retorted 
Fairleigh.  *'  I  am  glad  I  know  it."  A  long  silence, 
and  at  length  Eaton  remarked  that  after  all  it  would 
be  best  to  have  the  search  made,  as  it  would  un- 
doubtedly prove  that  no  member  had  stolen  the 
funds,  and  that  it  was  undoubtedly  some  thief  from 
Julesburg,  or  perhaps  one  of  the  teamsters. 

A  committee  was  appointed,  consisting  of  Eaton, 
Dakin,  accompanied  by  Meredith  to  make  the 
search,  the  members  remaining  meanwhile  in  the 
centre  of  the  corral.  Tent  after  tent  was  visited, 
when  all  faces  were  turned  in  one  direction  at  the 
sound  of  Eaton's  voice,  who  had  just  entered  a  tent 
w^ith  his  companions,  exclaiming: 

*'  My  God,  it  is  Vincent's  coat !" 

The  two  emerged  from  the  tent. 

"Whose  coat  is  this?"  said  Meredith,  holding  it 
up. 

"It  is  mine,"  said  Rollin  Vincent,  advancing  to 
more  closely  inspect  it. 


SHENA2s"D0AH  ;    OB,   THE  HORIZON'S  BAR.  19  ;= 

"  Gentlemen,"  said  Eaton,  "  the  money  is  found, 

and  found  in  this  coat  pocket.  ' 

*  *  -x-  *  *  -X-  -Sf 

Every  eye  was  turned  upon  Vincent.  He  was 
deathly  pale,  he  stood  like  one  transfixed.  He  was 
speechless,  he  essayed  to  speak  but  could  not.  At 
last  with  a  faint  voice  he  said : 

"  Gentleman,  this  is  the  work  of  some  personal 
enemy.  I  cannot  tell  you  whom  for  I  am  not  sure. 
I  am  as  innocent  of  this  crime  as  any  one  of  you. 
This  is  all  I  can  say." 

"  Speak  out,  old  man,  it  you  know  who  did  it.  I 
know  you  are  innocent,"  exclaimed  Fairleigh,  his 
eyes  flashing  with  a  strange  fire. 

*'  No,  I  will  not  accuse  any  man.  I  do  not  know 
who  did  it,  I  cannot  prove  who  did  it."  Foam 
came  to  his  lips,  he  tried  to  speak,  further,  but 
caught  at  his  heart,  and  fell  prostrate  to  the  earth. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

"  How  much  the  heart  may  suffer 

Yet  not  break ; 
How  much  the  flesh  may  suffer, 

Yet  not  die  ; 
I  question  much  if  any  pain  or  ache 

Of  soul  or  body 
Brings  the  end  more  nigh." 

*' What  is  to  be  done,  gentlemen?"  asked  Mr. 
Pritchard,  when  the  party  who  had  carried  Rollin 
to  his  tent  returned  to  the  centre  of  the  corral. 

"  I  have  this  to  say,"  said  Harrj^  Fairleigh,  "  be- 


^o 


198         SHE2TAXD0AH  ;    OR,    THE   HORIZON'S  BAR. 

fore  you  proceed  to  any  length}^  discussion  of  the 
subject,  that  never — upon  the  evidence  offered  thus 
far — can  I  be  made  to  believe  that  Captain  Vin- 
cent is  guilty ;  he  could  not  steal.  There  is  not  a 
drop  of  fraud  in  his  nature.  No !  he  is  the  vic- 
tim of  some  hellish  conspiracy.  I  know  it — I  am 
sure  of  it.'* 

"  Who  are  the  conspirators,  Mr.  Fairleigh,"  said 
Mr.  Pritchard,  kindl}^  *'  Some  one  is  guilty  of 
theft;  I  am  sorry  that  it  is  so.     Now,  who  is  it?" 

*'  1  could  lay  my  hand  upon  the  men,  Mr.  Pritch- 
ard ;  they  stand  in  this  circle.  I  know  I  cannot  fas- 
ten it  upon  them,  I  have  no  proof ;  yet  if  there  is 
such  a  thing  as  justice  in  heaven  it  will  yet  smite 
these  men,"  answered  Harry. 

"  Yet,  Mr.  Fairleigh,  this  is  but  allegation ;  it  is 
not  proof." 

"  Gentlemen — members — my  heart  almost  breaks, 
for  I  cannot  speak  the  names  of  these  men.  In  your 
minds  he  may  be  guilt}^,  but  in  mine  he  is  as  inno- 
cent as  the  sunlight." 

"  We  hope  so  ;  /  hope  so,  at  least.  Advise  mC; 
gentlemen  ;  what  shall  we  do  ?" 

*'  I  am  sure,"  said  Stokes,  '*no  one  is  as  loth  to 
believe  that  Mr.  Vincent  is  guilty  as  I  am.  I  had 
hoped  all  along  that  something  would  turn  up  ;  I 
cannot  hardly  believe  it  now.  Let  nothing  harsh, 
at  any  rate,  be  done." 

*'  I  agree  with  you,  Stokes,"  remarked  Howard. 

The  majorit}^  seemed  inchned  to  think  the  same 
way. 

"  But  yet  what  is  to  be  done  with  him  ?"  asked 
Mr.  Pritchard. 


&1IEXAN"D0AS:  ;    OR,    THE  HORIZON'S  BAR.  l90 

"  Of  course,"  said  Eaton,  *'  Captain  Vincent  will 
tender  his  resignation  ;  he  is  too  much  the  gentle- 
man to  remain.  Wh}^  need  we  do  anything  in  re- 
gard to  the  matter.  I  am  far  from  being  convinced 
that  he  is  the  man.  I  can  sep  that  otheis  are  of  the 
same  opinion.  Remember  the  many  obligations  we 
are  under  to  him  ;  let  nothing  harsh  be  done  is  my 
advice." 

**  But  no  one  wants  a  thief  among  us,"  said  Ad- 
derly. 

He  thought  he  was  beyond  Fairleigh's  reach  this 
time,  but  he  was  mistaken  ;  he  sprang  forward  to- 
wards him,  and  before  he  could  cock  the  pistol  that 
he  drew  from  his  breast  pocket,  one  blow  from 
Harry's  fist  laid  him  prostrate  on  tlie  ground.  He 
lay  there  quivering,  with  the  blood  flowing  from 
his  temple.  No  one  seemed  sorry,  but  common 
humanity  caused  Stokes  to  kneel  down  by  him  and 
wipe  his  forehead  with  his  handkerchief,  dipped  in 
the  water  brought  by  Eaton  for  Vincent  when  he 
had  fainted. 

Mr.  Fairleigh,  senior,  now  took  his  son  by  the  arm 
and  led  him  towards  his  tent  Harry  did  not  at- 
tempt further  violence,  and  suffered  himself  to  be 
led  away,  just  as  Adderly  raised  himself  to  his  feet. 

They  reached  Rollin's  tent.  Our  hero  seemed 
much  better.     Father  and  son  sat  down  near  him. 

*'  Captain  Vincent,  it  may  be  some  satisfaction  for 
you  to  kuQw  that  I  am  far  from  being  convinced  in 
this  matter." 

Rollin  raised  his  head. 

"  Say,  father,  just  as  I  do,  that  you  believe   him 


^00         gHEKA:NTOAH  ;    OR,    THE   IIORlJ^Ois^^S   BAR. 

innocent.  What  did  he  want  of  the  money  ?  Oh, 
father,  you  do  not  know  him." 

"  Well  my  son,  I  will  try  and  think  so.  Captain, 
here  is  my  hand  ;  I  am  not  unmindful  of  the  past, 
and  I  hope  you  may  yet  be  proved  innocent." 

Just  then  Stokes  came  up  to  the  door  and  asked 
for  Harry  who  came  outside  the  tent. 

Both  gentlemen  now  walked  away  slowly.  '*  I 
called  you,  Harry,  to  tell  you  the  conclusion  we  have 
arrived  at.  We  have,  by  a  large  vote  all  voted  in  the 
affirmative  save  Adderly  and  Churchill,  decided 
that  nothing  legal  or  harsh  shall  be  done  in  the 
matter.  Many  are  in  doubt  about  it,  and  they  say 
that  under  the  circumstances  Captain  Vincent  had 
better  leave  the  train  at  the  junction.  I  believe  we 
reach  there  to-morrow." 

Harry  said  nothing,  but  looked  at  the  speaker  as 
if  he  expected  him  to  continue. 

*'Of  course  you  know,  Harry,  that  the  proof  is 
strong  against  him  ?" 

Yes,  I  know  it  is  so,"  answ^ered  the  other,  sadly. 

During  this  time  the  drivers  had  been  harnessing 
the  stock,  and  were  now  ready  to  start  out,  for  it 
was  quite  late. 

*' See,"  said  Stokes, ''the  members  are  catching 
their  horses  ;  "  you  must  '  strike  '  your  tent  and  be 
off." 

RoUin  arose  and  helped  lower  the  tent.  It  was 
placed  in  the  wagon.  Harry  caught  his  friend's 
horse  as  well  as  his  own,  saddled  them  and  came 
up  to  where  our  hero  was  starting  alone. 

*'  Here  is  your  horse,  Rollin." 

Mechanically  Vincent  mounted  and  rode  behind 


SHEN'ANDOAH  ;    OE,    THE   HORIZOX'S   BAR.  201 

the  train  with  Hariy ;  his  chin  rested  upon  his 
breast,  and  he  seemed  ahiiost  crushed.  A  short 
halt  for  dinner,  yet  he  did  not  come  to  the  table. 
Harry  could  not  induce  him  to  eat  anything-.  In 
the  afternoon  Harry  tried  to  rouse  him,  but  he  did 
not  seem  inclined  to  answer ;  so  they  rode  on  as 
they  did  in  the  morning.  The  sky  became  over- 
cast, and  the  wind  blew  coldly.  It  was  going  to 
storm. 

When  they  encamped  at  night  the  tent  was 
raised.  Harry  took  the  saddle  and  bridle  off  both 
horses  and  turned  them  out  with  the  herd,  then 
spread  out  the  blankets,  and  taking  RoUin  by  the 
hand  who  seemed  in  a  kind  of  stupor,  led  him  to 
the  tent  where  he  laid  down  as  if  to  rest. 

Harry  Fairleigh's  mind  was  full  of  trouble.  How 
could  he  tell  Rollin  of  the  decision  of  the  members. 
What  was  to  become  of  him  when  he  left  the  train? 
Where  would  he  go?  He  could  give  him  money 
enough  to  pay  his  fare  to  N^w  York,  but  would  he 
accept  it  if  he  was  without  the  means  himself  ? 
Who  should  speak  to  Nellie  ?  Could  he  tell  her 
who  he  thought  were  the  guilty  ones? 

Supper — yet  Rollin  came  not.  The  ladies  were 
also  absent.  Tom  Eaton  seemed  almost  broken- 
hearted, and  the  wagon-master  and  Mr.  Fairleigh 
did  not  utter  a  word.  It  began  to  rain — not  heavily 
but  an  unpleasant  drizzle.  The  night  was  cold,  and 
there  were  but  few  members  at  the  camp-fire. 
Harry  felt  that  he  must  not  dela}^  any  longer,  so  he 
braced  himself  up  and  entered  the  tent. 

"  Won't  you  eat  something,  Rollin  ?'* 

'*'No  ;  I  don't  feel  hungry." 


202  SHENANDOAH  ;    OR,   THE   HORIZON'S  BAR. 

*'  I  am  afraid  3'ou  will  be  sick." 

*'  No  ;  but  never  mind." 

"  Oh  Rollin,  let  me  tell  you  I  never  can  believe 
3'ou  guilt}^  I  know  that  Adderly  and  Churchill  in 
revenge  for  the  way  you  baulked  them  with  Bent 
have  done  this.  I  am  sure  of  it,  and  I  will  tell  Nel- 
lie so.  God  is  good,  captain,  and  I  know  you  willj 
yet  triumph  ;  but — " 

"  What  ?     Say  it,  lieutenant,  I  command." 

"  The  members  were  unanimous  in  saj'ing — of 
course  those  two  hell-hounds  excepted — that  noth- 
ing should  be  done ;  many  W' ere  in  doubt.  Eaton 
will  not  believe  it ;  but  they  felt  that  under  the  cir- 
cumstances they  thought  it  would  be  better  for  you 
to  leave  the  train." 

He  paused  and  looked  toward  Vincent,  whose 
features  did  not  seem  to  show  surprise. 

"  Yes,  I  think  that  is  right."     This  \vas  all. 

"Oh  Rollin,  where  will  3'ou  go?"  said  Harry, 
kneeling  down  by  him.  "  Will  I  never  see  you 
again? — tell  me.  Go  to  your  home;  write  to  me 
when  you  get  to  the  Missouri  River;  here  is  some 
money — enough  to  take  you  home." 

"No,  Harry,  I  cannot  take  it.  To-morrow  I  will 
Start  out  on  foot  and  alone." 

"  No,  you  shall  not  ;  I  will  go  with  you  first. 
Stay — perhaps  I  can  go  back  with  3-ou  ;  I  will  do 
it." 

"  Harry,  let  me  go  alone,  I  beg  of  you.     I   shalli 
never  look  for  happiness  again.     I   was  a  dreamer 
to  think  of  it."     I  must  live,  bearing  this  w^eight  of 
shame  my  whole  lifetime.     How  glad  I  would   be 
if  this  were  the  last  hour  of  my  wretched  existence. 


SHEIn'AN'DOAH  ;    OK,    THE   nORIZOiN^'S  BAR.  203 

Do  not  speak  to  me  more ;  let  me  sleep  if  I  can,  for 
I  do  not  think  then." 

Both  young  men  laid  down  upon  their  blankets. 
Harry  watched  until  he  was  satisfied  his  companion 
was  asleep,  then  closed  his  own  eyes  and  sank  to 
rest.  Rollin's  sleep  was  broken,  and,  as  if  some 
thought  had  suddenly  made  him  frantic,  he  arose 
from  the  blankets  and  rushed  out  of  the  tent. 


CHAPTER   XXVn. 

"  Why,  let  the  strucken  deer  go  weep. 
The  heart  ungalled  play  : 
For  some  must  watch  while  others  weep  • 
Thus  runs  the  world  away." — Shakspeare. 

Rollin's  heart  was  crushed,  he  staggered  rather 
than  walked  from  the  camp,  and  stumbled  out  into 
the  rain  and  darkness. 

"  Where  should  he  go?" 

On,  on,  anywhere.  He  must  notremain^ — should 
he  fly?  Harry  would  think  him  guilty.  He 
quickened  his  steps,  then  ran  headlong,  reaching 
the  river  bank  he  sat  down  with  his  hands  to  his 
face,  then  rose  and  walked  to  and  fro.  Long  he 
remained  in  the  rain  that  October  night,  chilled  to 
the  bone.  A  deep  fog  hung  on  the  mountain.  The 
trees  by  the  banks  hung  heavy  with  the  rain,  and 
swayed  in  the  breeze. 

A  step  behind  him. 

"  Sh — h  !  Captain  Vincent." 

He  turned  and  saw  Churchill. 


204  SHENAN'DOAH  ;    OR,    THE   HORIZON'S   BAR. 

"  Vincent,"  he  said  in  hollow  tones,  "  I  could — It 
is  I  who  have  wronged  you.  I  am  in  Adderly's 
power.  He  made  me  do  it.  I  am  lost ;  forgive  me. 
Oh,  God !"  and  then  he  sank  on  his  knees  in  the 
grass. 

"You?" 

"  Yes.     Adderly  made  me." 

"  How  have  I  ever  wronged  3'ou  ?" 

"  You  never  have.  I  owed  my  last  promotion  to 
your  influence ;  but  stand  by  me,  do  not  go  and 
leave  me  to  the  mercy  of  that  man.  Have  you 
not  Avarned  me?     I  can  make  it  right;  wait — " 

Vincent  rose  and  caught  him  by  the  throat,  and 
forcing  him  back  on  the  grass,  said  hoarsety, 

''  Edgar  Churchill,  jou  know  I  am  a  guiltless 
man,  proclaim  me  so.  If  you  do  not  promise  me,  I 
will  kill  you  here  as  I  would  a  snake." 

"  I  will,  I  will,"  said  the  prostrate  man. 

Vincent  relaxed  his  grasp,  and  Churchill  rose  to 
his  feet. 

"When?" 

"  Give  me  but  one  week.  I  am  ruined  if  you  do 
not.  I  beg,  I  implore  you,  and  as  I  live ;  as  I  hope 
for  mercy  hereafter,  I  will  proclaim  and  prove  you 
an  innocent  man  fi-om  the  centre  of  the  corral." 

"  But,  why  not  now  ?" 

"  Do  not  ask,  do  not  ask  me.  It  will  be  done. 
Oh  trust  me—"  and  ere  Vincent  could  answer  he 
had  disappeared  in  the  darkness. 

Vincent  paused.  His  first  impulse  was  to  rush 
after  the  man  and  drag  him  into  the  camp.  He 
could  hear  the  sentry's  measured  tread  about  the 
wagons. 


SHENANDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZON'S  BAR.  205 

^'  Far  better  a  soldier's  honorable  death  than  this 
disgrace,"  and  again  resuming  his  seat  by  the  river 
bank,  pondered  over  the  strange  experience  of  the 
hour  and  wondered  if  Churchill  would  keep  his 
word. 

"Is  dat  you,  Captain?"  said  a  voice  near  him. 
*'  Don't  shoot,  don't  shoot.  It's  me,  Cicero,  wid 
sumthin'  for  you." 

*' What  is  it?"  In  a  voice  so  sepulchral  that  the 
faithful  black  started. 

"  Here  it  am,  note  from  de  Missy,  all  wet." 

Vincent  opened  it.     He  could  not  see  to  read  it. 

"  You  see  I  was  layin'  under  de  wagon  and  hear 
some  body  say  Cicero  ;  I  know  de  missy's  voice, 
and  she  sez,  sez  she,  Captain  Vincent  hab  just  left 
his  tent — and  dar  I  seed  she  was  cryin'.  She  sez  I 
am  gwine  to  send  him  this.  I  am  afraid  he's  gwine 
to  kill  hisself ;  go  and  find  him  ;  bring  him  back, 
bring  him  back." 

With  quick  steps  they  returned  to  the  camp. 
The  members  had  retired.  The  fire  was  smoul- 
dering. Starting  the  embers  into  a  blaze,  and  on 
his  knees,  devouring  every  word,  he  read, 

"  Do  not  be  cast  down.  I  know  you  are  innocent ; 
wait.     Have  faith.  Nellie." 

He  went  to  his  tent,  took  his  saddle  for  a  pillow, 
drew  over  his  wet  garments  his  army  blanket,  and 
Avas  soon  far  away  from  the  scenes  of  his  sufferings 
and  triumphs — far  away  in  the  mysterious  region 
of  dreams. 


206  SHENANDOAH  ;    OR,    THE  HORIZON'S  BAR. 


CHAPTER   XXVIII. 

*'  Missy,  missy !  Oh,  missy  !"  said  the  faithful 
black,  tapping  at  the  side  of  the  wagon,  "  it's  me  !  I 
seed  de  captain." 

.  A  pale,  anxious  face  appeared  at  the  opening  of 
the  canvas. 

"  Is  he  alive  ?     Did  vou  see  him  ?" 

"  Yes  missy,  he  is  alive.'  I  giv  him  de  pistle,  an 
he  read  it  and  said,  '  Thank  you.* 

*'  Yes,  yes  ;  what  else  ?" 

"  Dat's  all ;  he  is  in  his  tent  now  laying  down.  I 
know  he's  innercent,  missy  ;  I  knows  it." 

Sobs  came  from  within  the  wagon,  and  the  negro 
turning  hastily  away,  crawled  nea^*  the  wagon  say- 
ing :  '•'  I  know  he's  innercent ;  I  knows  it  for  shu'." 

A  troubled  night  in  the  car — a  restless,  feverish 
night. 

At  daybreak  the  camp  was  startled  by  a  series  of 
wild  yells,  interrupted  b}^  a  trampling  of  hoofs  and 
the  snorting  of  animals. 

'*  The  stock  has  been  stampeded  !  Turn  out ! 
turn  out !  turn  out,  everybodv  !"  shouted  the  wagon- 
master,  as  he  run  through  the  corral.  He  contin- 
ued :  "  There  they  go !"  as  sharp  against  the  gray 
streak  in  the  east  the  dark  forms  of  the  fljnng  stock 
could  be  discerned. 

"Arm  yourselves!  arm,  everybody!"  excitedly 
exclaimed  Hallett,  as  the  members  and  drivers  ap- 
peared on  the  scene. 

Into  the  river   the  flying  animals  were  driven, 


SHEi^ANDOAH  ;    OR,    THE   HORIZON'S  BAR.  207 

while  behind,  urging  them  on  with  yell  and  spear- 
point  were  at  least  a  score  of  Indians. 

*'  See  how  slowly  they  go,  now  that  they  are  be- 
3^ond  rifle-shot,''  said  Eaton,  strapping  his  revolver 
to  his  waist." 

"  Yes  ;  but  look  at  the  bank  the  other  side — it 
fairly  swarms  with  Indians." 

"  Will  they  cross  do  you  think  ?"  said  Adderly, 
his  face  white  with  terror. 

"  I  think  so,"  returned  the  wagon-master,  coolly  ; 
**  but  don't  be  afraid." 

Every  eye  was  fixed  on  Adderly,  and  he  turned 
away. 

"  Aha  !  here  they  come  !  x\rapahoes,  I  should 
judge  by  their  lances.  They  don't  fight  unless 
they  think  they  have  a  sure  thing." 

"  Who  will  command.^"  asked  Churchill. 

"  I  resign  my  office,"  said  Vincent  in  clear  tones. 

"  No,"  no  !"  cried  a  dozen  voices. 

**  I  insist,"  continued  our  hero. 

''  Let's  elect  Eaton,"  said  Brooks. 

"  Agreed  !  agreed  !" 

"  Run  the  wagons  close  together,"  said  the  new 
commander. 

The  order  was  hurriedly  executed. 

"  Let  the  ladies  be  aroused."  Mr.  Fairleigh  and 
Harry  escorted  the  families  to  a  place  secure  fi-om 
the  shafts  of  the  foe  behind  a  barricade  of  wagons 
in  the  centre  of  the  corral. 

Vincent  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  pale  face  of  Miss 
Fairleigh,  and  as  she  passed  with  a  deep  sigh  he 
turned  away,  and  within  a  foot  of  a  wagon-tongue 
watched  the  advancing  foe. 


208  SHENAKDOAH  ;    OR,    THE-HORIZON^S   BAR. 

They  had  crossed  the  river  and  halted  on  the 
bank. 

*'  Every  man  to  his  post !"  ordered  Eaton. 

A  moment's  confusion  as  the  members  and  driv- 
ers assumed  their  position,  and  then  all  was  still. 

With  a  wild  yell  which  caused  terror  to  the  brav- 
est heart,  the  savages  dashed  down  on  the  train, 
dischargnig  as  they  rode  in  a  semi-circle  around  the 
train  a  volley  of  bullets. 

*'  I  did  not  expect  that,"  said  the  wagon-master, 
as  a  ball  struck  a  wagon's  side  near  him. 

''  Fire  !"  said  Eaton,  in  a  ringing  voice. 

A  quick  volley,  then  another  and  another. 

"  Cease  firing  !"  came  from  the  commander. 

The  smoke  cleared  away  and  the  Indians  broken 
by  the  volley  were  ridmg  out  of  range  in  good  or- 
der. 

"  Anybody  hurt  ?"  said  Eaton,  advancing  to  a 
little  group  who  were  bearing  a  prostrate  man. 

"  Only  my  arm,"  groaned  Brooks  between  his 
teeth,  "  don't  carry  me.  I  am  all  right,"  said  the 
brave  fellow,  putting  his  feet  on  the  ground.  He 
had  fallen,  and  been  picked  up  by  some  of  the  mem- 
bers. 

*'  Come  out  of  here  you  damned  scoundrel — out 
you  dog,"  fairly  shrieked  Churchill,  as  he  proceeded 
to  draw  a  prostrate  figure  from  one  of  the  wagons. 
"  Here,  gentlemen  !  Here,  all !  Do  you  see  this 
man  ?"  said  Churchill,  pointing  at  Adderly,  who 
lay  bleeding  from  a  wound  in  the  neck.  "  Do  you 
see  this  coward  ?  He  hid  his  precious  self  away  in 
a  wagon  to  save  himself,  and  he  has  been  hit.  Now 
own  the  truth ;  clear  your  soul  before  you  die  of  at 


SHEKAKDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZOi^^S  BAR.       '  209 

\€'^\i^t  one  lie.     Who  put  the  money  in  Captain  Vin- 
cent's pocket?" 

*'You!"  gasped  the  man;  "you  don't  mean  to 
say  I  did  it  ?" 

"  Yes  ;  but  who  made  me?" 

'*  How  do  I  know  ?"  growled  Adderly,  rolling  on 
his  side. 

"  Don't  die  with  a  lie  on  your  lips.  Listen  Rollin 
Vincent,  I  was  in  the  power  of  this  man.  At  play 
he  had  cheated  me  out  of  every  dollar  I  had  in  the 
world.  My  own  loss  was  nothing ;  I  lost  trust 
funds  put  sacredly  in  my  hands.  I  would  have 
been  ruined — disgraced  ;  and  when  I  prayed  and 
be2:2:ed  him  to  return  what  was  not  mine,  he  told 
me  if  I  would  ruin  Rollin  Vincent  that  he  would 
protect  me.  Gentlemen,  I  put  that  money  in  that 
man's  pocket ;  1  was  crazy  with  despair.  Rollin,  I 
told  you  to  wait  a  week,  and  why?  This  man  killed 
a  gambler  at  Julesburg  ;  I  know  it.  I  wanted  only 
to  reach  Denver.  Then  I  meant  Avith  this  knowl- 
edge in  my  possession  to  make  him  disgorge  and 
then  to  clear  you.  Guilty,  I  know  I  have  been ; 
weak  and  wrong — " 

"  A  glass  of  water,"  said  Adderly  in  a  faint  voice. 

Churchill  knelt  and  placed  the  dying  man's  head 
on  his  knees.  Brooks  handed  him  his  canteen  and 
Churchill  placed  it  to  the  lips  which  w^ere  blue  and 
trembling.  "  What  he  has  said  is  true,  forgive  me  ; 
Churchill — all  forgive  me."  Tears  fell  from  all 
who  were  near.  "  Vincent,  you  too.  I  wronged 
your  father  years  ago  ;  the  money  was  taken  by  me. 
It  was  lost — lost  at  play.  Here  is  the  proof  that  I 
plan — Vincent,  Hay  ward,   I    am  —  forgive — "     A 


210  SHEIs^ANDOAH  ;    0%   THE  nOllIZOIs^^S  BAfl. 

struggle,  and  the  man  had  gone  to  that ''  mysterious 
bourne  from  whence  no  traveller  returns." 

A  blanket  was  thrown  over  him. 

"  Did  I  not  tell  3'ou  so,"  shouted  Harr}^  as  he 
hugged  Vincent  a  dozen  times.  "  Gentlemen  I  re- 
sign my  office,"  said  Eaton. 

''  No,  fight  it  out ;  the  battle  is  not  over,  Tom," 
said  Vincent,  smiling. 

"  No,  my  boy,  it's  yours  by  every  right." 

"  Three  cheers  for  Captain  Vincent "  cried  the 
impulsive  Meredith. 

They  were  given  with  a  will. 

The  Indians  on  the  bank  heard  them  and  tossed 
their  lances  aloft,  ere  they  plunged  into  the  stream. 

With  rapid  steps  RoUin  made  his  way  to  the 
barricade  of  boxes  and  wagon-boards,  over  them  he 
leaped,  followed  by  Eaton. 

Vincent  caught  the  pale  and  trembling  girl  within 
his  arms  and  kissing  her,  told  her  hurriedly  of  his 
vindication.  Turning  around  suddenly  he  beheld 
Eaton  with  a  fair  hand  upon  his  shoulder  and  look- 
ing beyond  he  saw  the  members  and  drivers  gazing 
with  interest  on  the  scene. 

"  Let's  form  a  ring  around  the  fort,"  shouted 
Harry  as  the  members  clasped  hands. 

"  Put  Brooks  on  the  high  box ;  he  can't  use  his 
arm,"  said  another. 

Brooks  took  the  assigned  seat. 

"  Now  all  hands  around  the  barricade  and  let's 
have  a  war  dance." 

The  members  w^ere  gleefully  employed  when  a 
driver  on  the  lookout  reported  that  an  Indian  was 
crossing  with  a  white  flag  on  his  lance. 


SHENAIs^DOAH  ;    OR^   THE  HORIZOX^S   BAR.  2ll 

"  They  have  learned  the  modern  mode  of  warfare 
— a  flag  of  truce.     I  wonder  what's  up  ?"  said  Eaton. 

"  There  are  two  of  them,  see  that  other  fellow 
behind  the  rock — I  wonder  what  they  want,"  re- 
marked Meredith.  The  two  Indians  continued  to 
advance. 

"  Look  out  for  tricks,"  said  the  wagon-master. 

"  Let  us  send  out  two  to  meet  them  "  suggested  a 
member. 

"  No  let  them  ride  up.  It  Avill  only  show  more 
conclusively  how  strong  we  are,"  said  Hallett. 

''Don't  fire  at  them,"  ordered  Rollin  in  a  voice 
intended  for  the  two  to  hear.  - 

*' They  can't  understand  3'ou,"  said  Brooks. 

"  Oh  yes  they  do,"  replied  Hallett.  **  You  bet 
they  can," 

The  messenger  came  up  within  tv/enty  feet. 
Both  were  well  mounted  on  ponies,  one  Avas  a 
tall  savage,  well  ornamented  with  feathers,  huge 
rings  from  his  ears  and  nose,  and  his  face  painted 
hideously  with  dashes  of  black  and  red  under  his 
eyes.  The  other  was  not  so  gaily  attired,  wore  a 
buckskin  suit,  but  his  face  was  painted  and  he  wore 
a  single  plume  in  his  hair. 

"Where  is  Sam  Hallett?"  said  the  caller,  in  a 
voice  recognized  instantly  as  that  of  Bent.  He 
was  mounted  on  a  strong  black  pony.  In  his  right 
hand  he  held  a  rifie  and  he  dexterously  guided  his 
pony  with  the  left. 

*'  Where  is  Sam  Hallett  ?" 

"  Here,"  said  the  w^agon-master,  stepping  forward. 

"  We  came  to  have  a  talk  with  you.  This  chief  is 
Roman  Nose,  chief  of  the  Arrapahoes.     We  do  not 


212  SHElTAKDOAH;    OR,   THE  HORIZOIT^S  BAH. 

want  to  war  with  you,  we  could  swallow,  you  for  the 
hills  are  black  with  our  warriors  and  braves.  Now 
we  attacked  you  before  they  came  up,  but  see  they 
are  now  with  us,  we  are  as  thick  as  grasshoppers." 
The  members  saw  that  large  reinforcements  had 
evidently  arrived  and  were  arriving,  for  not  only 
the  hills  but  the  plains  beyond  the  river  was  thick 
with  savages. 

"  What  do  you  want?"  broke  in  Vincent. 

''•The  provisions  in  your  train.  You  will  not 
suffer ;  you  have  money  and  can  buy  all  you  want 
in  the  road.  We  will  sell  you  your  stock  we  have 
with  us  for  a  fair  price. 

Some  of  the  members  whispered  that  they  had 
better  take  Bent's  offer. 

"  What  do  you  want  for  them  ?"  said  Hallett. 

"Two  thousand  dollars"  said  the  half-breed,  but 
that's  not  all  we  want ;  the  chief  wants  the  two 
women  in  your  train." 

"  Squaw  no  good,  no  make  bread — lazy — "  broke 
in  Roman  Nose. 

''  Now  listen  Bent,  this  is  our  reply :  we  will  give 
3^ou  two  thousand  dollars  for  our  animals ;  but  as 
for  our  women  take  this  message  back,  our  rifles 
are  long  they  speak  many  times  and  their  eyes  are 
clear,  many  an  Arrapahoe  will  fall  before  they  get 
as  to  near  to  us  as  you,  for  we  will  die  before  we 
give  them  up,"  returned  the  wagon-master. 

"  This  then  is  your  answer." 

''  It  is." 

The  messengers  Avheeled  and  were  soon  with 
their  dusky  friends  on  the  other  side  of  the  Platte. 

*'  Now  gentlemen,"  said  Vincent,  "  load  every  bar- 


SHE>tAN"DOAIi;    OR,    THE   HORIZOi^^S  BAR.  "^        213 

rel,  and  if  they  return  give  them  volley  after  volley  ; 
reserve  your  revolvers  for  close  quarters,  and  don't 
fire  till  you  get  the  word." 

''  What  do  you  think  they  will  do,  Mr.  Hallett?" 
inquired  Brooks. 

"  Bent  is  avaricious,  loves  and  spends  money  reck- 
lessly, he  may  control  them  but  I  have  my  doubts. 
They  may  if  they  are  hungry,  sweep  down  and  try 
to  overpower  us  with  their  numbers.  I  think  we 
can  keep  them  off  if  we  are  cool  and  fire  surely. 
Indeed  I  don't  know  what  they  will  do." 

"  What's  that  down  the  road  ?"  cried  Eaton,  anx- 
iously at  the  same  time  crossing  and  leaping  up  on 
the  barricade  and  straining  his  eyes  beneath  his 
hand. 

"  See  that  cloud  of  dust." 

"  We  are  surrounded,  they  have  flanked  us,"  cried 
several  of  the  members. 

"  Lost,  lost !"  said  others. 

"  No^-no !"  cried  Eaton,  still  shading  his  eyes 
and  looking  eagerly. 

*•  By  heavens,  I  see  the  flash  of  sabres !  It's  Dela- 
hanty  and  his  escort." 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

*'  In  the  ranks  of  death  you  will  find  him. 

The  sunlight  played  upon  the  polished  sabres  of 
the  dragoons.  It  was  evident  from  the  manner  in 
which  they  advanced  that  they  were  aware  of  the 
presence  of  the  foe. 


214  SHEXAKDOAH  ;    OR,    THE   HORIZON'S  BAIl. 

They  trotted  their  horses,  keeping  in  close  col- 
umn and  with  drawn  sabres,  ready  for  a  charge. 

Two*  officers  were  riding  in  advance.  In  one  of 
them  Vincent  fancied  he  recognized  the  tall  form  of 
Terry  McCann  as  one  of  the  leaders.  The  Indians 
upon  the  river  bank  were  huddled  together,  and, 
judging  from  their  excited  manner,  an  animated 
discussion  was  taking  place.  The  debate  was 
ended,  for  a  warrior  leaves  the  band,  turns  his 
horse's  head  toward  the  river,  and  hastily  crosses 
the  stream;  gains  the  other  shore,  and  dashes 
across  the  level  plain  and  is  lost  to  sight  in  the  bluffs 
just  as  Lieutenant  McCann  and  Delahant}^  with 
fifty  cavalrymen,  ride  up  to  the  corral.  Maguire's 
waofon  that  had  been  run  across  the  horseshoe  was 
drawn  back,  and  the  dragoons  ride  mto  the  ring. 
Cheer  after  cheer  rang  out  on  the  air  as  the  mem- 
bers gathered  around  the  officers. 

The  council  of  war  was  over,  3"et  the  savages 
seemed  to  be  waiting  for  something ;  for  braves 
would  leave  the  band,  I'ide  across  the  river,  and 
then  along  the  opposite  bank,  eagerly  watch  the 
bluffs,  and  then  return  slowly  to  the  other  side. 

*'  Look !"  said  Delahant}^  pointing  with  his 
sword,  *'see,  they  have  been  reinforced.'* 

From  out  a  canon  in  the  bluff  rode  fully  one  hun- 
dred Indians  on  their  war  ponies.  They  crossed 
the  river  and  swelled  the  ranks  of  the  dusky  foe. 
An  attack  was  determined  upon. 

"  What's  best  to  be  done?"  asked  Harry. 

"  I  think  I  will  dismount  my  men,  and  use  the 
carbine  first.  Have  the  horses  all  ready  to  mount, 
and  if  our  fire  routs  them  will  sally  out  after  them. 


SHENANDOAH  ;    OR,    THE  HORIZON^S  BAR.  215 

I  think  that  your  animals  are  not  beyond  the  bluffs,** 
said  McCann. 

''  That's  my  opinion.  I  wish  we  could  recover 
the  slock.  The  red  devils  have  not  left  us  a  single 
hoof,"  remarked  the  wagon-master. 

At  the  command  the  men  dismounted,  and  un- 
slung  their  carbines.  Every  fifth  soldier  held  the 
horses  of  the  others  who  took  their  positions  as 
directed  by  Lieutenant  McCann. 

With  a  wild  whoop  the  Indians  charged. 

"  Fire !"  was  the  command  from  the  train.  A 
rattling  discharge  was  the  reply,  and  the  savages 
broke  and  fled. 

"  Prepare  to  mount,"  was  the  next  order.  When 
the  smoke  cleared  away  and  revealed  the  damage 
made  by  the  fire,  ''  Mount !" 

Every  trooper  was  in  his  saddle,  and  McCann 
and  Delahanty  at  their  head,  with  a  loud  hurrah, 
swept  out  of  the  corral.  They  dashed  across  the 
prairie.  The  savages  were  crossing  the  river,  car- 
rying their  dead  and  wounded  with  them.  The 
soldiers  pressed  them  hard ;  they  were  in  the  cen- 
tre of  the  stream  before  the  Indians  had  gained  the 
opposite  bank.  Now  they  are  all  over  the  river, 
and  the  race  for  the  bluffs  begins.  The  horses  of 
the  soldiers  are  fresh  and  strong.  The  ponies  are 
fatigued  with  the  war-path,  and  now  the  cavalry- 
men are  upon  them.  With  sabre  and  revolver  they 
cut  them  down  right  and  left. 

Many  of  the  members  rush  down,  with  rifles  in 
their  hands,  to  watch  the  fight.  The  Indians  are 
flying  in  all  directions.  Routed  squads  enter  the 
various  canons,  hotly  pursued  by  the  soldiers.     The 


216         SflEif  AKBOAH  ;    0%   THE   llORlZOl^-^S  BAB. 

sound  of  fire-arms  and  the  cheers  of  the  dragoons 
were  heard  long  after  the  combatants  had  disap- 
peared in  the  bluffs.  Riderless  ponies  are  snorting 
and  frying  over  the  prairie,  with  here  and  there  a 
cavalry  horse  with  an  empty  saddle. 

*'  Let  us  cross ;  the  water  here  is  hardly  knee 
deep,"  said  Harrj^  starting  forward  and  leaping 
into  the  stream. 

"  No,  Mr.  Fairleigh,  wait ;  we  cannot  tell  the  re- 
sult yet.  Our  friends  may  run  into  an  ambuscade. 
We  must  stand  by  the  train  till  the  danger  is  past." 

'*  You  are  right,  Mr.  Hallett,"  answered  Fairleigh, 
returning  to  the  bank. 

The  sounds  of  strife  grew  fainter  and  fainter,  un- 
til at  last  they  died  entirely  away.  Yet  the  mem- 
bers waited  at  the  river ;  many  tired  laid  them- 
selves down  upon  the  grass.  Vincent  and  Fair- 
leigh were  about  to  return  to  camp,  and  relate  to 
those  who  remained  the  story  of  the  rout  of  the 
foe.  Howard  had  been  buried  by  the  members 
who  had  remained  at  the  wagons. 

"  Let  us  look  for  Pedro.  I  am  afraid  they  have 
killed  him ;  3'et,  he  may  be  wounded  only.  The 
stock  were  just  beyond  the  road  to  the  left  when 
the  Indians  stampeded  them,  and  we  may  find  him 
there,"  said  the  wagon-master. 

"  We  will  look  for  him  at  any  rate,"  remarked 
Harry,  and  the  three  left  the  bank  to  search  for 
the  herder.  They  passed  the  camp,  crossed  the 
road,  and  began  to  look  in  the  tall  grass  for  the 
man.  Rollin,  who  walked  a  little  in  advance, 
reached  a  little  ravine,  where,  at  the  bed,  a  small 
stream  not  over  a  foot  wide  ran   down  into  the 


SHENANDOAH;    OR,   THE  HORIZONS  BAR.  217 

river.     He  started  back;  called  out:  "Harry,  here 
he  is  I"  then  leaped  down  into  the  ravine. 

When  Hallett  and  Fairleigh  came  up  they  found 
Vincent  washing  the  blood  from  the  herder's  face. 
He  was  bleeding  freely  from  many  wounds.  He 
had  been  scalped,  and  an  arrow  that  he  had  not 
been  able  to  remove  was  fast  in  his  right  breast. 
He  revived;  murmured  "Indians"  with  a  weak 
voice.     RoUin  gave  him  a  drink  from  his  canteen. 

"I  think  he  will  live,"  said  the  wagon-master,  "  let 
us  carry  him  back  to  camp.  They  raised  him  from 
the  ravine,  and  sat  him  upon  the  bank.  The  wagon- 
master  stooping  down  caught  hold  of  the  arrow 
that  protruded  from  his  breast,  gave  it  a  quick  jerk 
and  drew  it  out  followed  by  a  little  stream  of  blood; 
the  herder  fainted  and  fell  back  upon  the  grass. 
The  man's  coat  was  taken  off,  his  shirt  opened.  Tak- 
ing the  quid  of  tobacco  that  was  in  his  mouth,  the 
wagon-master  placed  it  in  the  wound;  then  he  cut 
up  his  handkerchief  making  lint  of  it,  this  he  placed 
over  the  tobacco  and  bound  the  wound  with  Harry's 
handkerchief. 

Vincent  sprinkled  a  few  drops  of  water  upon  the 
herder's  face  ;  again  he  revived,  and  they  raised  him 
to  carry  him  to  camp.  As  they  were  proceeding, 
Hayward's  quick  eye  saw  a  movement  on  the  oppo- 
site shore,  mules  and  horses  came  dashing  out  of 
the  bluffs  followed  by  the  soldiers  who  urged  them 
on. 

"  Aha,  hurrah !"  cried  the  impetuous  Harry, 
"this  is  indeed  a  victory." 

"Softly,  softly,  my  young  friend,  '  don't  holloa 
till  you  are  out  of  the  woods,'  is  an  old  rnaxim,  wait ; 


218  SHENAXDOAH  ;    OR,    THE   HORIZON'S  BAR. 

I  wonder  what  makes  the  soldier  in  such  haste.  If 
it  was  all  right  they  would  not  run  the  stock 
so." 

The  soldiers  hurried  the  animals  into  the  stream 
and  as  they  drew  near  the  members  saw  ever  and 
anon  the  men  look  behind  them  in  alarm  while  they 
spurred  on ;  the  wagon  was  withdrawn  from  the 
mouth  of  the  corral,  and  the  herd,  with  the  cavalry- 
men behind  them,  dashed  in. 

**  Hurrah,  boys !  here  we  are,"  cried  Terry.  ^'  Aha, 
we  have  had  a  glorious  time  of  it,  Eaton,  my  boy. 
Did  you  see  how  the  lads  cut  right  and  left,  and  how 
they  made  the  feathered  tribe  take  French  leave  ? 
You  should  have  been  with  us,  Harry,  such  a  rattling 
time." 

'*  Where  did  you  find  the  horses  and  mules,  Ter- 
ry ?"  asked  Fairleigh,  who  had  joined  the  members 
in  the  con-al  after  helping  the  wounded  herder  to 
be  placed  within  one  of  the  wagons. 

"  Just  over  in  the  canon  there,  they  were  guarded 
by  a  dozen  or  so  red  skins;  we  saw  them  and  before 
they  could  escape  the  brave  lads  were  on  them  and 
not  many  lived  to  tell  the  story.  But,  oh  man,  man  !" 
said  the  rattling  Irishman,  "3'e  should  have  seen 
the  hornets'  nest  we  ran  into.  Corporal  Wj^lliams 
and  a  couple  of  boj^s  were  far  ahead  of  us  driving 
the  red  blackguards  before  them;  we  had  your  stock, 
and  I  had  the  bugler  sound  the  call  but  they  did 
not  hear  it,  and  they  were  surrounded  by  Indians 
that  sprang  up  from  the  grass  all  around  them  like 
grasshoppers.  The  hills  were  black  with  them  in  an 
instant,  we  had  nothing  to  do  but  to  abandon  the 
lt)rave  lads  to  their  fate,  upon  my  word," — here  the 


SHEXAXDOAH  ;    OR,    THE   HORIZOX'S   BAR.  219 

gallant  fellow  burst  into  tears, — "  it  seemed  like  tear- 
ing the  heart  out  of  me  to  leave  them  but  it  was  no 
use,  they  outnumbered  us  fifty  to  one.  Sargent 
Hawkins  here  forgot  he  was  a  parson  and  swore  like 
a  trooper  ought  to  do." 

"  Yes,  lieutenant,  and  for  that  sin  may  I  be  for- 
given," said  Hawkins  in  a  solemn  voice. 

''  Do  you  think  they  will  return  in  force  ?"  asks 
Vincent. 

"  I  can't  say.  Captain.  It  looks  like  it;— an'  by  the 
holy  poker,  there  they  are." 

Every  eye  was  fixed  upon  the  bluffs,  and  out  from 
the  canons  came  hosts  of  warriors  wdth  shield  and 
lance,  feathered  and  painted  for  war. 

"  I  think  we  will  have  to  abandon  this  position, 
gentlemen,"  said  the  wagon-master. 

*'  Why,  how  ? "  cried  Delahanty,  in  surprise. 
'-  Just  beyond  that  little  hill  not  over  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  away  on  the  road  is  a  ranche,  an  adobe  ranche, 
it  has  a  sod  stable  capable  of  holding  all  our  animals 
and  a  hundred  more.  We  can  make  a  better  fight 
there  than  here  for  I  now  think  they  will  attempt  to 
fire  the  train." 

''That's  the  words  of  truth  and  soberness,"  an- 
swered McCann,  "  if  we  are  to  fight  behind  breast- 
work let  us  have  the  best." 

The  preparations  for  change  of  base  were  made  in 
great  haste. 

"  Take  all  your  ammunition,  men,"  said  Rollin  to 
the  members. 

*'  Put  the  harness  on  the  mules,"  cried  Hallett  to 
the  drivers. 

The  horses  of  the  members  were  saddled  and 


220  SHEKAKDOAH  ;    OE,    THE   HORIZON'S   BAR.  • 

bridled,  the  mules  were  harnessed  and  all  were 
ready  to  leave  the  wagons  just  as  the  Indians  com- 
menced to  cross  the  river. 

The  ladies  preferred  to  walk  rather  than  to  ride 
so  the  retreat  began,  the  wagon-master  leading  the 
way.  Nellie  and  Kate  walking  with  Mr.  Fairleigh, 
senior,  and  Tom  Eaton,  RoUin,  and  Harry  mounted, 
were  just  behind  them  ;  then  came  the  members 
also  mounted,  the  cavalrymen  brought  up  in  the 
rear. 

*'  Make  way,  make  way,"  cried  a  well-known 
voice,  and  the  rumble  of  wheels  was  heard.  It  was 
Maguire;  he  had  harnessed  up  Barney  and  Blossom, 
and  now  hurried  by  with  Norah  sitting  by  his  side, 
— "  Hurry  up,  gentlemen  ;  won't  you  git  in,  ladies  ? 
No ;  will  thin  ye  are  welcome  ; — g'lang  Blossom  ye 
divil  aisy  over  the  rough  spots  fur  3'er  jounce  the 
life  out  'ave  the  man  that  is  almost  dead.  How  do 
you  feel,  Paydrew,  man  ?" 

"  Better,"  said  the  herder. 

**  Thrue  for  you,  I  wouldn't  lave  ye  to  be  killed 
again,  so  I  tuk  ye  out  of  the  wagon  they  had  laid  ye 
in  and  put  ye  in  mine  ;  I  remember  the  night  I  got 
you  into  a  scrape,  an'  now,  bedad,  I  have  made  it  all 
right  by  takin'  ye  out  'ave  one ;  hooray,  Barne}',  ye 
scoundrel." 

The  wagon  rolled  on  and  reached  the  ranche  be- 
fore the  main  body  came  up. 

The  ranch  was  a  long,  low  adobe  hut,  with  a 
corral  or  yard  made  of  sod  for  live  stock.  When 
Rollin  and  Harry  rode  up,  Maguire  stood  at  the 
door  with  an  elderly  person,  who  seemed  to  be  the 
proprietor. 


SHENANDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZON'S  BAB.  221 

"  Walk  in,  ladies,  there  is  a  fine  little  room  for  yez 
in  beyant.     Miss  Maguire  is  there,  and  don't  fear," 

said  Larry. 

"You  are  welcome,  friends,"  said  the  ranchman 
quietly,  and  walking  hurriedly  along  the  side  of  the 
building,  he  opened  a  wide  door,  and  the  horsemen 
rode  into  the  large  yard  or  corral. 

The  ranchman  had  built  his  house  with  a  view 
to  just  such  an  emergency.  The  walls  had  been 
pierced  with  lookouts  and  musket  holes.     It  w^as  a 

little  fort. 

The  whites  entered  the  ranch  just  as  the  savages 
reached  the  deserted  camp.  They  halted  by  the 
wagons  only  for  a  moment,  and  through  their  field- 
glasses  the  members  could  see  that,  though  the  ma- 
jority wished  to  stop  and  plunder  the  train,  others 
in  authority  drove  them  away,  and  pointed  with 
their  lances  to  the  ranch.  There  seemed  to  be  up- 
wards of  five  hundred  warriors  and  braves,  and  they 
rode  towards  the  ranch  upon  the  galop. 

The  cavalry  under  McCann  and  Delehanty  were 
stationed  in  the  stock-yard,  while  the  members  and 
drivers  guarded  the  doors  and  windows  of  the 
dwelling  portion  of  the  ranch. 

"  I  can't  fight  in  here,"  said  McCann,  gloomily. 
"  Give  me  a  clear  field  and  no  favor.  I  haven't  room 
enough  to  swmg  a  sabre  without  stickin*  it  into  a 
horse  or  one  of  my  own  men.  Come,  Delahanty, 
let's  ride  out,  and  give  'em  a  bout." 

"  I'll  tell  you  what  we  will  do,  wait  until  we  have 
given  them  a  dose  or  two,  and  then  sally  out  after 
them  as  we  did  before, 

"  Good," 


222  SHE^^AXDOAH  ;    OR,    THE   HORIZOX  S   BAR. 

Hallett  seemed  to  know  the  ranchman.  They 
shook  hands  warmly  when  they  met,  and  they  con- 
versed together  long  in  whispers.  What  the  wag- 
on-master said  must  have  startled  the  ranchman 
for  he  burst  forth  with 

*'  Thank  God,  where  is  he  ?"  , 

''  Wait  until  this  fight  is  over — "  | 

"  Do  not  stop  me,  I  must  see  him." 

The  latter  part  of  this  speech  was  lost  in  the  wild 
whoop  that  was  sounded  near. 

Around  and  around  the  building  the  warriors 
dashed,  and  the  whites  kept  up  a  disastrous  fire. 

In  a  little  bedroom  off  the  store  or  ranch  sat 
Nellie,  Kate,  and  Norah  Maguire.  The  room  was 
darkened,  and  they  sat  there  in  silence. 

*'  Cheer  up,  girls,"  said  Harry,  who  stood  near 
them.  "  I  have  taken  a  peep  at  the  enemy,  and 
they  seem  to  be  retiring.  There  is  Bent  on  his 
black  pony,  he  seems  to  be  the  head  devil  of  them." 

The  wagon-master  hurried  from  the  ranchman's 
side  when  the  war  whoop  sounded.  The  latter 
stood  for  a  moment  as  if  lost  in  wonder,  then  took 
down  a  long  rifle  that  rested  upon  a  pair  of  antlers 
over  the  door  that  opened  into  the  bedroom,  then 
mounting  a  ladder,  took  his  station  with  Pollard  and 
Churchill  at  a  window  in  the  loft. 

In  the  section  of  the  country  where  this  ranch 
stands  or  rather  stood,  wood  was  very  scarce.  The 
roof  of  this  sod  or  adobe  hut  was  made  of  beams  of 
Cottonwood,  with  hay  and  bushes  spread  over  the 
top. 

The  Indians  were  aw^are  of  their  advantages. 
They  could  fire  the  roof  with  burning  arrows ;  one 


SHENAKDOAH  ;    OR,    THE   HORIZON^S  BAR.  223 

by  one  they  dropped  upon  the  inflammable  material 
forming  the  roof,  and  now  it  was  fairly  ablaze. 

''Mount,  mount,  everybody  !"  shouted  McCann, 
as  he  led  his  charger  through  the  smoke.  "  Quick, 
quick,  before  it  is  too  late !" 

The  order  was  obeyed  with  alacrity.  As  there  was 
no  roof  to  the  yard  or  corral,  the  only  danger  was 
from  the  burning  roof  of  the  ranch.  Soldiers  and 
members  were  in  the  saddle — and  out  they  sallied. 

The  Indians  were  drawn  up  in  line  ready  to  re- 
ceive the  chargeS;  then  there  was  a  discharge  of 
arrows,  and  two  soldiers  fell  to  the  ground. 

"Avenge  them,  lads  !"  shouted  McCann. 

''  On,  on." 

The  long  cavalry  sword  waved  them  on  to  the 
fight 

The  Indian  line  was  broken,  but  they  halted  just 
beyond  the  ravine,  wheeled  around,  and  again  dis- 
charged their  arrows.  McCann,  who  was  riding  in 
advance,  fell  from  his  horse — an  arrow  had  gone  di- 
rectly through  his  heart.  The  savage  had  aimed 
well. 

Eaton  and  Churchill,  who  were  riding  near,  dis- 
mouted  and  carried  him  out  of  the  fight.  At  the 
ranch  Vincent,  Harry,  the  wagon-master,  and  the 
drivers  remaining,  endeavored  to  battle  with  the 
flames — the  smoke,  and  the  intense  heat  drove  them 
from  the  building.  With  difficulty  the  young  ladies 
were  rescued,  and  carried  half  fainting  from  the 
ruins. 

Vincent  ran  around  to  save  his  horse.  He 
reached  the  stockyard,  and  blinding  his  horse  with 
bivS  handkerchief  led  him  safely  out     The  mule  be^ 


224  SHENAXDOAH  ;    OR,    THE   HORIZOl^'S   BAR. ' 

longing  to  Hallett  alone  remained,  and  the  fright- 
ened animal  kicked  and  plunged  in  terror. 

RoUin  was  about  to  mount  his  horse  when  the 
wagon-master  turned  the  corner  of  the  ranch. 

"  Have  you  seen  the  ranchman?" 

"  No." 

"  Then  he  is  lost." 

^'How?" 

*'  He  has  perished  in  the  flames." 

**  It  may  not  be  too  late  to  save  him." 

RoUin  entered  the  side  door  of  the  ranch,  and 
made  his  way  amid  burning  beams  and  smoke  ; 
crawling  upon  his  hands  and  knees  he  entered  the 
bedroom. 

A  groan  near  him,  he  turns.  It  is  the  ranchman 
laying  upon  his  face  on  the  floor.  Bits  of  charred 
wood  and  pieces  of  sod  had  fallen  upon  him.  With 
difficulty  Vincent  draws  him  from  under  the  debris, 
raising  him  in  his  arms — with  his  foot  he  kicked 
open  the  barred  window. 

It  is  but  a  step  to  the  ground,  and  our>hero,  with 
the  lifeless  form  of  the  ranchman  in  his  arms 
springs  to  the  ground,  and  lays  the  half-suffocated 
man  down.  The  wagon-master  emerges  from  the 
yard,  leading  his  mule.  He  stops,  a  smile  of  satisfac- 
tion illumines  his  face.  Advancing  he  said,  pointing 
to  the  prostrate  man,  "  RoUin  Vincent,  behold  your 
father," 


SHEi^AKDOAH  ;    OR,   Tfi^  SO'UlZOK^S  BAR.  225 


CHAPTER    XXX. 

"And  memory  guards 
With  solemn  round 
The  bivouac  of  the  dead." 

Eaton  and  Churchill  carried  the  dying  McCann 
to  a  retired  spot — a  clump  of  cottonwood  trees 
near  the  river  bank — and  there  they  laid  him  on  the 
grass.  A  scowl  rested  on  the  frank,  handsome  face  ; 
the  long  sabre  was  firmly  clasped  in  his  right  hand. 

The  eyes  were  half  closed.  He  was  hurt  past 
all  surgery,  and  his  life  blood  ebbed  away,  dyeing 
the  plumage  of  the  gray  eagle  which  feathered  the 
shaft  that  killed  him. 

**  We  have  no  time  for  tears,  Ned.  We  must  hurry 
back.  See,  see,  the  half-breed  has  rallied  his  war- 
riors. Heavens !  Delahanty  is  unhorsed,  No,  no, 
he  is  up  again.     We  must  not  stay  here." 

*'  Do  you  think  the  w^olves  will  find  the  body  ?** 

"  We  will  return,  Ned.  See,  Hawkins  waves  to 
us  to  get  our  horses.  What  do  you  think  of  cav- 
alry now,  my  man?"  said  Eaton  exultingly,  as  the 
troopers  began  to  rout  the  Indians.  ''  Aha,  that's 
it — give  it  'em  right,  Molineaux — on,  on,  my  brave 
boys,  till  I  have  a  hack  at  them." 

Again  the  Indians  rallied,  and  once  more  the 
whites  retreated  back  to  the  ranche,  Eaton  and 
Churchill  barely  reaching  their  friends  in  safet}^, 
and  the  arrows  whizzing  about  them  as  they  ran. 

The   Indians   displayed    unlooked-for    gallantry, 


^26  SHENAKDOAH  ;    OR,   THE   HOUIZON^^S  BAR. 

riding  up  within  ten  yard^  of  the  ranche,  and  dis- 
charging their  rifles  and  arrows. 

The  cavalry  men  once  more  in  the  ranche  used 
their  carbines  Avith  telling  effect.  '^Once  more, 
lads,"  cried  Delahanty ;  *'  once  more  for  Terry 
McCann." 

"  Hurrah !"  shouted  the  troopers,  as  they  filed 
out  on  the  plain.  The  members  were  mounted 
also,  and  brought  up  the  rear.  The  rout  this  time 
was  complete.  Down  to  the  river  bank  the  sav- 
ages retreated. 

A  brief  stand  at  the  river,  and  then  horse  and 
rider  plunged  into  the  stream.  The  members 
picked  the  warriors  off  from  the  bank ;  feathered 
heads  fell  into  the  Platte,  and  the  deadly  fire  from 
the  shore  was  kept  up  without  ceasing.  The  oppo- 
site shore  was  reached,  and  the  tired  ponies  of  the 
Indians  dashed  into  the  canons  just  as  the  bugler 
sounded  the  retreat. 

The  cavalry  men  retired  slowly,  bringing  with 
them  their  dead  and  wounded.  At  sunset,  with 
pick  and  shovel,  they  repaired  to  the  spot  where 
the  brave  lieutenant  was  laid,  and  many  a  tear 
streamed  down  bronzed  cheeks  as  the  dead  were 
placed  m  their  narrow  beds. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

"If  thou  didst  ever  thy  dear  father  love." — Shakspeare. 

RoLLiN  started  back  with  surprise  at  the  words 
of  the  wagon-master,  and  gazing  first  at  the  pros- 
trate man,  then  at  the  guide,  he  seemed  unable  to 


SHEKAKDOAH  ;    OU,   THE   HORIZOX's  BAH.  227 

utter  a  word.  Hallett,^  with  one  arm  through  the 
bridle  rein  of  his  mule,  watched  the  young  man's 
countenance  closely. 

"  Yes— your  father.  Should  you  doubt  me,  I 
will  prove  it  to  you.  But  first  let  us  help  him  to 
reach  camp.  It  is  safe  to  do  so  now.  The  Indians 
are  driven  across  the  river." 

RoUin  Vincent  seemed  bereft  of  life  or  motion. 
He  stood  as  if  chained  to  the  spot.  The  ranch- 
man raised  his  head  and  stared  about  him. 

''  My  son  !  my  son  !     Where  is  he  ?" 

Rollin  knelt  down  and  supported  the  man's  head. 

At  that  moment  Mr.  Fairleigh,  senior,  with  Nellie 
and  Kate,  turned  the  corner  of  the  ranche.  During 
the  last  of  the  fight  they  had  found  shelter  in  the 
wagon  of  the  emigrant.  They  were  now  on  their 
way  to  camp.  They  paused  as  they  noticed  the 
group  near  the  window. 

"  Walter  Fairleigh,  do  you  know  this  man  ?"  said 
the  wagon-master,  pointing  to  the  ranchman. 

Mr.  Fairleigh  advanced  a  step  or  tw^o.  '*  It  is 
Arthur  Vincent  as  I  live." 

Mr.  Fairleigh  and  Rollin  assisted  him  to  rise. 
Hallett  spoke  with  animation.  "You  have  nothing 
to  fear  now.  Adderly  is  dead,  and  with  his  dying 
breath  confessed  his  guilt  and  proclaimed  us  inno- 
cent for  the  crime  for  which  we  so  long  have  suf- 
fered." 

"  Thank  God !"  said  the  ranchman  earnestly. 
Vincent  hardly  knew  how  to  act.  He  took  his 
father's  hand,  and  then  the  two  walked  slowly 
toward  the  camp,  followed  by  Hayward  and  Mr. 
Fairleigh. 


228  SHEiq-ANDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZON^S  BAH. 

"  My  boy,"  cried  the  old  man — his  locks  were  as 
white  as  snow,  and  his  step  was  feeble — "  do  not 
reproach  me  that  I  so  long  have  neglected  you.  I 
was  told  that  you  were  dead.  That  villain.  Ad. 
derly,  I  believed  to  be  my  friend  even  to  the  last. 
He  helped  Hayward  and  myself  in  our  flight.  He 
counselled  us  to  go.  We  had  lost  heavily,  and  sus- 
picion fell  upon  us.  I  received  a  letter  when  we 
reached  the  West.  It  was  from  Adderly  ;  it  con- 
tained the  notice  of  your  mother's  death,  and  the 
same  letter  also  stated  that  vou  had  died.  I  felt 
that  I  had  nothing  to  return  for.  I  had  a  little 
money.  I  built  this  ranche.  Fortune  smiled ;  for 
I  have  made  riches  here.  Hayward,  or  Mr.  Hal- 
lett  as  he  is  called,  remained  with  me  five  years. 
Then  he  wished  to  roam,  and  he  left  me;  but  he 
shall  never  want  while  I  live,  for  he  has  helped  to 
make  me  rich ;  and  you,  my  son,  3^ou  shall  have  it 
all.     Forgive  me  ;  oh,  forgive  me  !" 

Tears  streamed  down  the  cheeks  of  both.  Rollin 
placed  his  father's  arm  around  him  in  token  of 
affection,  and  with  light  hearts  they  reached  camp. 

The  soldiers  and  members  returned  to  camp,  and 
were  hailed  as  victors. 

"  I  think  Bent  is  killed,"  said  Delahanty.  "  Ser- 
geant Hawkins  said  he  saw  him  fall,  and  we  have 
captured  his  black  pony." 

During  the  afternoon  graves  were  made  in  the 
Cottonwood  Grove  near,  and  the  dead  were  buried 
with  appropriate  ceremonies.  Headboards  were 
hurriedly  made  and  nailed  to  the  trees. 

Many  a  tear  was  shed  for  Howard  and  the  gal- 
lant McCann. 


SHEN-AKDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZOX^S  BAR.  2^9 

The  excitement  of  the  day  had  been  intense ; 
their  perils  had  been  great.  The  missing  faces  of 
those  who  had  just  been  laid  to  rest  cast  a  deep 
gloom  over  them,  yet  all  felt  the  Lord  had  been 
with  them,  and  Sergeant  Hawkins  held  a  prayer- 
meeting  in  the  evening.  Every  member  of  the 
train  attended. 

The  man  was  no  canting  hypocrite,  but  an  earn- 
est, humble  worker.  His  company  was  the  bravest 
and  best  of  any  in  the  regiment,  and  he  did  a  great 
deal  of  good.  He  helped  to  reform  drunkards ;  he 
cared  for  the  sick,  and  by  the  force  of  example, 
and  the  purity  of  his  conduct,  was  respected  by  his 
superiors  and  beloved  by  his  men. 

Rollin  escorted  the  fair  Nellie,  and  Eaton  fol- 
lowed with  Kate.  When  the  prayers  were  over, 
they  all  united  in  singing  the  glorious  "  Old 
Hundred."  The  drivers,  unused  to  such  scenes, 
rendered  thanks  and  swelled  the  grand  old  hymn. 

Night  came  down,  and  the  live  stock  were  fed 
from  the  wagon  boxes,  and  remained  in  the  corral 
during  the  night. 


CHAPTER  XXXII.  • 

Reveille  was  sounded  early  next  morning. 
Breakfast  cleared  away,  tents  were  struck,  and  the 
train  moved  toward  the  burned  ranche.  Goods 
which  were  not  damaged  by  water  or  fire  were 
placed  in  the  wagons,  and  then  the  train  rolled  on. 

Pedro  had  recovered  so  far  as  to  sit  up.     He  left 


230  SHENANDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZON^S  BAR. 

Maguire's  wagon,  and  rode  with  one  of  the  drivers, 
with  whom  he  was  friendly.  At  noon  a  short  halt 
at  the  ranche  of  Beaver  Creek,  and  at  night  the 
wagons  corralled  on  the  plateau  near  the  river. 

The  w^eather  had  been  hazy  for  two  or  three 
days. 

*'  If  it  is  clear  in  the  morning  we  will  have  a  sight 
of  the  mountains." 

Next  morning,  when  the  sun  rose  bright  and 
clear,  the  fog  of  the  night  had  melted  away,  and 
far  in  the  distance,  with  purple  sides  and  snowy 
crests,  were  the  Rocky  Mountains.  Away  to  the 
north,  its  peak  sparkling  in  the  sunlight,  was 
Laramie.  Almost  facing  the  train  was  golden 
round-topped  Pike,  and  far  to  the  south  could  be 
traced  the  dim  outlines  of  Long's  Peak.  That  night 
the  wagons  rolled  into  camp,  within  sight  of  Fort 
Wardwell.  Upon  the  hill-side  to  the  left  of  the 
road  were  the  white  tents  of  the  soldiers.  Near 
the  river  was  an  adobe  ranche.  Beyond  a  wide 
plateau  was  a  train  of  government  wagons  cor- 
ralled, the  drivers  playing  cards,  or  enjoying  a  siesta 
'neath  their  wagons. 

Upon  the  summit  of  the  hill  were  a  dozen  adobe 
buildings,  officers'  quarters,  a  sutler's  canvas  store 
tent  in  the  centre  of  the  parade  ground.  Soldiers 
were  lounging  about  it ;  some  upon  boxes  and  bar- 
rels, or  leaning  up  against  the  counter.  Within 
broad-shouldered  dragoons  were  investing  five  and 
ten  cent  stamps  in  candy  or  raisins,  or  filberts, 
w^hich  they  cracked  with  their  teeth.  Officers'  ser- 
vants were  buying  potatoes  or  onions  by  the  pound, 
and  an  officer  taking  a  *'  bourbon  straight"  "  upon 


.# 


SHENANDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZON'S  BAR.  231 


the  sly,"  looks  about  anxiously,  for  he  has  a  horror 
of  "general  orders,"  and  skulks  away  with  the 
western  vulture  gnawing  at  his  vitals. 

The  members  of  the  mining  company  were  sur- 
prised at  the  laxity  of  discipline  among  officers  and 
soldiers  upon  the  plains.  Frequent  cases  of  insub- 
ordination had  fallen  under  their  notice,  and  now 
around  the  ranche,  at  the  foot  of  the  hill,  was  gath- 
ered a  crowd  of  noisy,  drunken,  brawling  soldiers. 
A  driver  of  a  government  wagon  had  a  quarrel 
with  a  soldier  in  front  of  the  bar.  A  knock  down, 
drivers  and  soldiers  become  entangled  in  a  general 
melee,  doors  were  closed,  windows  barred,  and  a 
fierce  battle  took  place  within.  When  the  guard 
arrived  the  doors  were  broken  in  by  the  soldiers, 
and  the  fight  arrested.  Three  men  were  killed 
outright,  and  fully  a  dozen  wounded. 

The  volunteer  cavalry  regiments  upon  the  plains 
were  about  to  be  mustered  out,  and  the  soldiers 
resolved  to  make  the  most  of  their  time,  and  the 
live  stock  of  emigrant  and  freighters  suffered  in 
consequence.  Many  a  private  when  he  returns  to 
his  home  a  citizen,  has  horses  and  mules  enough 
to  work  a  good-sized  farm,  which  had  been  ''  pre- 
sented" to  him. 

The  road  forks  at  this  point.  The  main  path 
leads  to  Denver  by  the  way  of  Fremont's  Orchard 
and  the  Platte.  The  narrow  road  to  the  left  is  the 
"  cut-off,"  the  stage  route  and  the  short  cut  to 
Denver.  This  latter  path  the  train  pursues.  No 
event  of  marked  importance  occurred.  Mr.  Hay- 
ward,  Mr.  Fairleigh,  senior,  and  Rollin's  father 
were    often    noticed  walking  together  along  the 


2B2  SHElTANDOAH  ;    OR,   THE   HORIZOIT^S  BAR. 

prairie  while  the  wagons  rolled  toward  the  moun- 
tains. 

Nellie  and  Kate  frequently  called  in  the  services 
of  the  black  pony,  and  both  Rollin  and  Tom  were 
happy  as  their  escort. 

On  the  fifth  day  after  leaving  Camp  Wardwell 
the  train  rolled  into  Denver  City,  Colorado.  This 
city,  as  many  of  our  readers  are  aware,  is  upon 
Cherry  Creek,  fifteen  miles  from  the  base  of  the 
mountains.  It  is  the  largest  city  of  Colorado,  con- 
taining a  population,  in  1865,  of  upwards  of  twenty 
thousand  inhabitants. 

Gambling  is  going  on  with  open  doors,  and  a 
band  of  music  in  the  end  of  the  saloon  kept  up 
the  excitement  that  liquor  exaggerates.  Singularly 
enough,  the  name  of  the  largest  gambling  den  was 
the  "  Progressive." 

The  train  moves  through  the  main  street,  turning 
to  the  right.  The  wagon-master  leads  the  way, 
and  the  cavalcade  enter  the  city  stables  or  corral. 

The  members,  leaving  their  horses  with  the 
stable  men,  adjourned  to  the  Planter's  House, 
where  they  secured  rooms,  as  it  was  the  intention 
of  the  company  to  examine  certain  mining  property 
in  the  mountains  near  Denver,  ere  they  proceeded 
to  Arizona.  Nellie  thought  the  change  from  "  the 
car"  to  the  hotel  a  desirable  one. 

Mr.  Fairleigh  endeavored  to  persuade  Rollin  and 
Harry  to  return  home  with  him,  saying,  with  a 
smile,  to  Vincent  '*  that  he  hoped  he  did  not  need 
much  coaxing." 

The  young  men  had  determined  to  proceed  with 


SHEiq"ANDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZON'S  BAR.  233 

the  train  to  the  journey's  end.  The  young  ladies 
reluctantly  yielded  their  wishes. 

The  Indian  raids  were  over.  The  stages  were 
making  their  daily  trips.  Eaton  seemed  the  ac- 
cepted suitor  of  Kate  Ferris,  and  both  RoUin  and 
Harry  rejoiced  greatly  thereat,  for  they  loved  Tom 
as  a  brother. 

Harry  pretended  to  feel  very  sad,  heaved  enor- 
mous sighs  when  in  the  presence  of  the  lovers; 
often  declared  to  Kate  that  "she  had  jilted  him." 
Yet  she  well  knew  that  Harry  was  joking,  though 
he  used  to  call  her  his  little  wife  when  he  w^ore 
roundabouts.  She  knew  very  well  there  was  a 
dearer  one  still  and  a*  nearer  one  yet  in  the  person 
of  Miss  Maynard  of  Washington,  who,  when  the 
lieutenant  was  down  with  typhoid  in  the  hospital, 
often  relieved  Captain  Vincent  during  the  long 
hours  of  anxiety  and  watchfulness,  and  smoothed 
the  pillow  of  the  sufferer.  Of  course,  it  was  very 
natural  that  Harry  should  love  her,  for  she  w^as 
as  beautiful  as  she  was  good.  It  had  all  been  ar- 
ranged before  Harry  left,  yet  the  young  man  was 
silent  in  regard  to  the  matter.  The  truth  was  the 
young  lady  was  poor,  and  the  young  man  wished 
to  marry  her  when  his  mining  investment  proved 
a  success.  He  was  proud,  and  wished  to  make 
a  fortune  independent  of  his  father.  A  committee 
of  the  members  visited  the  mines  near  the  moun- 
tains; they  reported  adversely  to  the  resolution 
"  to  remain  and  develop  the  mines  in  Colorado," 
and  it  was  unanimously  agreed  that  the  train  should 
move  on  to  Arizona. 

As  the  committee  were  riding  home  they  stopped 


334  SHEiq'ANDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZOK'S  BAR. 

to  water  their  horses  at  a  new  ranche  near  the  base 
of  the  mountains,  a  well-known  voice  hailed  them 
from  the  doorway. 

**  Arrah,  Mishter  Pritchard,  it's  yerself  I  see." 

It  was  Corporal  Maguire,  hammer  in  hand.  He 
had  been  engaged  in  putting  up  a  kitchen  to  his 
dwelling. 

*'  Come  in,  gentlemen.  Norah,  drive  the  pigs  out 
of  the  parlor.  The  hin  has  laid  an  Ggg.  Don't  you 
hear  it  splitten  its  throat  from  the  top  av  the  bed- 
stead.** 

Lands  are  cheap  in  Colorado.  Maguire  was  in- 
dustrious, and  to-day  he  is  a  well-to-do  farmer  in 
Arapahoe  county. 

Cicero,  with  a  white  apron,  is  "  captain  of  the 
waiters  "  at  the  Planters'  House. 

The  week  at  Denver  passed  away  very  pleas- 
antly. The  lovers  enjoyed  themselves.  Frequent 
excursions  were  made  to  the  mountains,  and  moon- 
light promenades  were  indulged  in  without  fear  of 
"  ye  prowling  savage." 


CHAPTER  XXXni. 

OVER  THE   MOUNTAINS. 

A  LOVELY  morning,  and  the  train  is  ready  to 
start.  The  wagon-master  gave  the  word,  and  the 
wagons  were  once  more  in  motion.  The  members 
in  the  saddle  were  riding  in  advance.  Down  the 
main  street  the  party  moved.     Horses,  mules,  har- 


SHENANDOAH  J    OH,   THE  HOKIZON'S  BAE.  235 

ness,  and  wagons  have  been  cleaned,  and  the  caval- 
cade looks  bravely  in  the  clear  air.  The  drivers 
merrily  crack  their  whips,  and  the  animals  prance 
gaily. 

The  Planters*  House  is  reached,  the  ladies  are 
upon  the  balcony,  and  as  the  members  ride  by  they 
raise  their  hats  in  true  cavalier  style.  Vincent 
Fairleigh  and  Eaton  v/heel  out  of  line,  and  tying 
their  horses  to  the  posts  in  frpnt  of  the  hotel,  are 
soon  b}^  the  side  of  Nellie  and  Kate.  The  party 
upon  the  balcony  wave  their  handkerchiefs  to  the 
retreating  horsemen,  and  watch  the  train  until  it 
passes  the  limits  of  the  town;  then  nothing  is  seen 
but  the  white  wagon  covers  crawling  through  the 
grass. 

"Remember,  RoUin,"  said  Nellie,  "in  three 
months  you  are  to  bring  Harry  to  our  home." 

"  In  less  time,  I  hope,  dear  Nellie,  We  will  return 
from  the  mines  just  as  soon  as  we  can  be  spared." 

Eaton  and  Miss  Ferris  evidently  had  "  arrived  at 
an  understanding,"  for  they  seemed  engaged  in 
earnest  conversation  in  a  retired  nook  of  the  parlor. 

Mr.  Fairleigh  and  Harry — believing  that  their 
presence  was  needless,  and  as  matters  seemed  to 
progress  very  well  without  them — retired  to  the 
reading-room  below. 

"  I  think  we  will  have  to  ride  hard,  father,  to  catch 
the  train.  I  think  I  will  disturb  the  eagles  in  the 
dove-cote  above." 

Mr.  Fairleigh  smiled.     "  I  think  so,  too,  Harry.'* 

The  young  man  ascended  the  staircase,  and  rap- 
ping on  the  parlor  door,  called  out — "  time  !" 

"  Come  in,"  said  Eaton. 


236  SHENANDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZON'S  BAR. 

Harry  entered  the  room.  Both  young  ladies  had 
evidently  been  weeping.  Come,  Tom.  Rollin,  we 
will  have  to  make  good  time  to  reach  the  train. 

"  Then  good-by,  Kate,'  said  Eaton,  kissing  her. 

Rollin  was  loth  to  leave  Nellie,  but  as  they  alone 
waited  for  him,  he  kissed  the  lady  and  hurried 
from  the  room,  not  daring  to  look  back. 

"  Hasten  home,  my  sons,"  said  Mr.  Fairleigh, 
when  they  were  mounting  their  horses.  ''  Hasten 
to  return,  for  you  are  all  my  boys." 

The  young  men  shook  his  hand,  and  now  they 
were  in  the  saddle.  Nellie  and  Kate  were  upon  the 
balcony. 

"  Good-by,  Nellie.  Good-by  all,"  said  Rollin, 
touching  his  steed  with  the  spur.  They  soon  left 
the  town  behind  them.  Fifteen  miles  to  the  moun- 
tains, they  came  in  sight  of  the  train,  and  soon 
after  were  riding  slowly  along  with  the  members. 

The  rest  of  the  story  of  the  journey  to  the  gold 
mines  of  Arizona  is  soon  told.  The  train  were 
eight  days  in  the  mountains,  struggling  through 
the  caftons,  toiling  over  the  rocky  roads,  and  de- 
scending into  the  narrow  passes.  At  last  the  range, 
with  its  snowy  peaks,  is  left  behind  them.  Once 
more  upon  the  plains  game  is  abundant.  The  grass 
is  high,  the  water-brooks  are  fresh  with  the  melting 
snows  of  the  mountains,  cold  and  pure — no  hostile 
savages  to  harass  their  march  or  disturb  their  rest. 

The  Utes — a  friendly  tribe  of  the  mountains — 
often  visit  their  camp,  ready  to  "  swap"  deer  skins, 
goat's  milk  and  fish,  for  bits  of  brass  chain  or 
**tobac."  Old  Friday,  the  chief,  went  into  ecstasies 
over  an  old   black  silk   vest  that   Mr.  Pritchard 


SHENANDOAH;    OR,   THE  HORIZON'S  BAR.  237 

senior,  gave  him.  The  numberless  pockets  of  the 
old-fashioned  garment  pleased  him  amazingly,  and 
soon  every  pocket  was  crammed  with  fish  hooks, 
beads,  and  pieces  of  red  ribbon. 

It  was  astonishing  to  notice  the  red  man's  love  for 
anything  red.  Pollard  chanced  to  wear  one  day  an 
old  red  worsted  '*  comforter  "  (tippet  of  the  school 
boy),  and  at  least  fifteen  Indians  were  ready  to  beg, 
steal,  or  **  swap"  for  it.  Had  Pollard  been  disposed 
to  drive  a  sharp  bargain,  he  could  have  had  buck- 
skin enough  to  have  made  at  least  two  hunting- 
suits  ;  but,  after  teazing  them  for  a  time,  he  gave  it 
to  "  The  young  man  who  walks  with  the  moon" — evi- 
dently a  love-sick  brave — for  a  mess  of  fish. 

The  Utes,  as  well  as  other  friendly  tribes,  are 
great  beggars.  At  night  the  members  would  be 
gathered  around  the  camp-fire,  and  a  rude,  un- 
taught child  of  nature  would  ride  into  the  ring  from 
somewhere  out  of  the  darkness.  They  came  upon 
you  so  unexpectedly ;  Adderly  must  have  been  of 
Indian  blood.  Dismounting,  the  red  man  advanced 
to  the  fire. 

"  How  ?" — their  only  salutation. 

Some  of  the  members  responded. 

"Heap  tired — much  hunt;  no  eat  since  last  sleep." 

One  of  the  members  gave  him  a  biscuit,  another 
a  drink  of  coffee,  and  the  brave  would  sit  near, 
quietly  eating,  rising  with — 

*'  Give  me  chew  tobac." 

It  IS  given  then  to  the  next  man. 

"  Give  me  chew  tobac,"  and  so  around  the  entire 
fire.  After  having  **  swung  around  the  circle"  with 
that  plaint,  he  would  begin  at  the  first  man  again. 


238  SHEXANDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZON'S  BAR. 

**  Give  chew  for  squaw." 

Many  good-natured  members  responded  to  this 
call,  but  it  was  a  little  too  much  for  even  the  gen- 
erous, when,  with  belt  filled  with  the  weed,  he  went 
"  round  again." 

*'  Give  a  chew  for  papoose." 

**  Get  out — leave — vamoose !"  from  the  members. 

The  wagon-master  laughed  heartily.  "  You 
won't  get  rid  of  that  fellow,"  said  he,  ''  until  some- 
body takes  off  his  coat  as  if  he  was  going  to  thrash 
him,  and  swears  pretty  loud  ;  then  he  will  leave.  I 
know  them  of  old." 

Eaton — ever  ready  for  sport,  and  probably  think- 
ing of  the  story  of  Sheridan's — leaped  from  his 
seat  and  throwing  off  his  coat,  sang  out: 

"You  confounded  paradox!  You  infernal  prolix 
old  diatribe,  leave  the  camp !" 

The  Indian  looked  astonished,  yet  did  not  offer  to 
move. 

*'  Throw  in  a  swear — a  damn  or  two — with  a 
*git'  at  the  end,"  said  the  guide,  laughing  with  the 
rest. 

"You  d — n  quadrilateral  adjective,  go — git!" 

The  Indian  folded  his  blanket  about  him,  with- 
out uttering  a  word,  and,  with  severe  and  offended 
dignity,  strode  away,  mounted  his  pony,  and  rode 
off  into  the  darkness. 

By  the  glare  of  the  camp-fire  the  members  had 
observed  that  the  bridle  of  the  pony  was  covered 
with  bits  of  solid  silver.     Some  one  spoke  of  it. 

"Yes,"  said  Mr.  Hallett,  "where  they  get  their 
gold  and  silver  from  no  one  can  tell;  they  never 


SHENAl^DOAH  ;    OK,   THE  HORIZON'S  BAR.  239 

will.  I  am  satisfied  that  they  know  where  untold-of 
riches  could  be  found. 

They  soon  reached  the  Colorado  River.  The 
grass  was  higher  and  fresher  along  the  stream  than 
upon  the  slopes  of  the  mountain.  The  live  stock 
are  rapidly  improving  in  condition.  Again  the 
bright  camp-fire  blazes  in  the  darkness,  and  story 
telling  is  the  order  of  the  evening. 

Two  weeks  from  the  day  they  left  the  mountains 
the  train  halted  at  the  mines,  ten  miles  from  the  city 
of  Tuscon,  Arizona. 

Board  huts  for  the  members  and  drivers  were 
erected,  and  quite  a  httle  village  sprang  up  in  the 
desert.  Pollard,  who  was  an  architect,  drew  the  plan 
of  the  proposed  mill.  Churchill's  services  were  in- 
valuable as  a  superintendent  in  the  "setting  up"  of 
machinery.  He  had  been  a  railroad  engineer  before 
the  war,  and  well  understood  the  duties  of  the  posi- 
tion. The  day  the  members — forgetting  the  past — 
elected  him  to  the  position,  he  threw  away  the  wine 

cup. 

Stone  for  the  new  mill  was  carried  from  the 
mountains,  and  the  members  worked  hard  to  erect 
the  building  before  the  snow  came.  The  founda- 
tions had  been  laid,  and  then  Rolhn  and  Harry 
thought  of  their  promise.  Nor  were  they  slow  to 
act,  for  our  hero's  heart  yearned  to  be  with  her  who 
seemed  and  was  all  the  world  to  him. 

The  day  of  their  departure  came  at  last,  and  Rol- 
lin  and  Harry  turned  their  horses'  heads  home- 
w^ards.  They  were  all  friends  now.  It  was  grow- 
ing late  in  the  season,  and  the  young  men  feared 
to  delay  longer  their  proposed  journey. 


240         SHEKAKDOAH  ;    OR,   THE  HORIZON'S  BAR. 

They  said  **good-by"  reluctantly.  The  members 
appointed  an  escort  of  honor  of  ten  of  their  number 
to  see  them  safe  to  the  Colorado  line,  and  on  the 
day  of  the  departure  they  rode  out  of  the  little  set- 
tlement amid  the  cheers  of  their  old  comrades. 
They  were  well  supplied  with  provisions,  and 
loaded  down  with  letters  and  messages. 

Mr.  Hayward  told  RoUin  that  he  should  proba- 
bly remain  through  the  winter  with  the  miners,  and 
return  with  Eaton  to  New  York  when  he  came. 

At  the  ranche  on  the  boundary  line  of  Colorado 
and  Arizona,  the  young  men  bid  farewell  to  their 
escort. 

"  Tell  Kate,  for  me,"  said  Tom  Eaton,  aside  to 
Rollin,  "that  I  will  try  to  return  within  the  time 
she  has  said.  If,  however,  old  fellow,  Nellie  and 
you  decide  to  step  off,  send  me  word,  and  Kate  and 
I  will  follow  suit." 

Hand-shaking  now  followed,  and  along  the  level 
road  the  horsemen  pursued  their  way. 

"  Good-by"  was  borne  to  them  faint  and  far  away. 

Rollin   and   Harry  halted,  and  answered  the  call; 
then  pursued  their  journey. 
Two  scenes  and  then  ring  down  the  curtain. 

Scene  I. 

Sunrise. 

Plains  of  Alkoli. 

A  mail  coach  hurrying  eastward. 
Two  occupants,  old  friends,  tried  in  battle. 
Comrades  in  war. 
Brothers  in  peace. 

They  had  kept  the  compact  made  on  the  hills  of  the  Shen- 
andoah, 


SSDltAKDOAH  ;    OR,  THE  SORIZON^S  BAB.         24l 

Happy  faces  looking  out  of  the  windows. 
Looking  beyond  the  Alkali  and  Sage. 


Scene  IL 

St.  Paul's  Church,  New  York,  eager  faces. 

The  swelling  organ. 

Floating  orange  blossoms. 

The  robed  minister. 

The  service  toned  to  music. 

"I,  Rollin,  take  thee,  Nellie." 

"  I,  Thomas,  take  thee,  Kate." 

"Yet,  but  the  America  Mining  Company?" 

"  Look  at  the  quotations." 

*'  Ay,  yes,  the  tape." 

"Think  of  the  dividends.' 


f* 


Mrs.  Alexander. 
Talma^e. 
Dora  Thome. 


List  ot  Books  in    Tll^    FAVOftlTS:  JSOlTlO^. 
^v^itb  tills  Book.     Sold  by  all  Dealers. 

No. 

1,  At  War  with  Herself .  Dora  Thome. 

2.  Allan  Quartermain.    Haggard. 
8.  Ac  Bay.    Alexander.  [Albums. 

4.  Album     Verses     for     Autograph 

5.  Adventures  of  an  Old  Maid.  Greene. 

6.  Adventures  of  a  Bashful  Irishman. 
T.  As  in  a  Looking-Glass.    Philips. 

8.  Bound  by  a  Spell,    Conway, 

9.  By  Woman's  Wit.    Mrs.  Alexander. 

10.  Beaton's  Bargain. 

11.  Battle  for  Bread. 

12.  Broken  Heart,  A. 

13.  Bad  Boy  at  Home,  The.    Gray. 

14.  Bad  Boy  Abroad,  The.    Gray. 

15.  Bad  Boy  and  his  Sister, 

16.  Buffalo  Bill.     Ned  Buntline. 

17.  Brother  against  Brother.    Musick. 

18.  Beyond  Pardon.     Dora  Thome, 

19.  Bright  Wedding  Day .  Dora  Thome. 

20.  Broken  Wedding  Ring, 

21.  Crimson  Stain.    Bradshaw. 

22.  Bede's  Charity.    Stretton. 

23.  Called  Back,    Conway. 

24.  Circumstantial  Evidence.  Conway. 

25.  Cardinal  Sin,  A,     Conway. 

26.  Cobv.'ebs  and  Cables.    Stretton. 

27.  Dark  Days.    Conway. 

28.  Dawn,     Haggard. 

29.  Duchess,  The.     '•  The  Duchess." 

30.  Dr.  Jekyll  and  Mr.  Hyde. 

31.  Detective  Trio,  The.    Taylor. 
33.  Dark  Marriage  Morn,  A. 
33.  Dora  Thome.    Brame. 
84.  Drops  of  Blood.    Curry. 

35.  Donald  Dyke,  the  Detective. 

36.  Dangerous  Marriage,  A.  FotherglU. 

87.  Eureka  Recitations.    1st  Series. 

88.  Eureka  Recitations,    2d  Series. 

89.  EastLynne,     Wood, 

40.  Ed.  Sommers,  the  Detective. 

41.  False  Vow,  The.    Dora  Thome. 

42.  File  No,  115.    A  Detective  Story. 

43.  From  Out  the  Gloom, 
44  Fatal  Wedding,  A.    Dora  Thome. 

45.  Fallen  Idol,  A.    Anstey. 

46.  Family  Affair,  A,    Conway. 

47.  Fun  for  All,    Greenway. 

48.  Good  News,    By  Jones  and  Small. 

49.  Gipsy  Blair,  the  Detective, 

50.  Garfield,  Life  and  Death  of  J.  A. 

51.  Guilty  River,  A.    Collins, 

52.  Hilda's  Lover.     Dora  Thome. 

53.  House  Party.     "Ouida," 

54.  Harry  Pinkerton,  the  Detective. 

55.  Her  Martyrdom.     Dura  Thome, 

56.  Her  Marriage  Vow.    Dora  Thome. 

57.  Her  Second  Love.    Dora  Thome, 

58.  Haunted  Chamber. "The  Duchess," 

59.  History  of  the  U.  S.    Childs. 

60.  Hand-Book  of  Information. 
fJl.  In  Thraldom.    Mead. 
62.  In  Prison  and  Out,    Stretton, 
€3.  Joyfiil  Tidings.     Jones  and  Small. 
M.  Jesg.    ^^^ira,rd. 


No 

65, 
66. 
67, 
68. 
69. 
70. 
71. 
72. 
73. 
74. 
75, 
76, 
77, 
78, 
79. 
80. 
81, 
82. 

83, 
84, 
85. 
86, 
87. 
88, 

89. 

90, 

91. 

92. 

93. 

94, 

95. 

96, 

97, 

98, 

99. 

100, 

101. 

102, 

103. 

104. 

105. 

106, 

107. 

108. 

109. 

110, 

111, 

112. 

113, 

114, 

115. 

116. 
117. 
118. 
119, 
120, 
121, 
122, 
123. 
124. 
1^ 


Vnlforuk 


Janet's  Repentance,    Eliot. 
King  Solomon's  Mines.    Haggaaxl. 
Lady  Valworth's  Diamonds, 
Lost  and  Found.    Elmore.  . 
Love's  Conflict.     Dora  Thorn*. 
Luke  Darby,  the  Detective. 
Lord's  Purse-Bearer,  The. 
Living  or  Dead.    Conway. 
Mental  Struggle,  A. 
Mrs.  Hopkins  on  Her  Travels. 
Mohaw  ks ,     Braddon. 
Miss  Jones'  Quilting. 
Merry  Men,  The.    Stevenson. 
Me;  A  companion  to  "She, 
Missing  Will,  The,    Conway, 
Married  in  Haste,    Dora  Thome. 
Midnight  Marriage.    Holmes. 
Macon     Moore,     the     Southern 

Detective, 
Modern  Circe,  A,  "The Duchess." 
Mrs,  Rasher's  Curtain  Lectures. 
Not  Forsaken.    Giberne. 
Nellie,  the  Clockmaker 's  Daughter 
Nancy  Hartshorn  at  Chautauqua. 
Ned  Bachman,  the  New  Orleans 

Detective. 
Ogilvie's  Popular  Recitations. 
Only  a  Woman's  Heart.    Young. 
One  against  Many.    Dora  Thorne. 
Ostler  Joe  and  other  Recitations. 
One  Thousand  Popular  Quotations 
Phil  Scott,  the  Detective. 
Pomfret  Mystery,  The 
People's  Etiquette  Book.  The. 
People's  Cook  Book,  The. 
Paradise  Almost  Lost.    Shaw. 
Perdita.     Ella  Wheeler  "Wilcox. 
Repented  at  Leisure. 
Slings  and  Arrows.    Conway. 
Story  of  a  Sculptor.     Conway. 
Secrets  of  Success,    Donovan. 
"She."     Haggard, 
Sunshine  and  Roses, 
Seven  Days  in  a  Pullman  Car. 
Sheer  Off,     A,  L.  O.  E. 
Sketches  from  "Texas  Siftings." 
Shadowed  by  a  Detective. 
Ten  Days  with  D,  L.  Moody, 
Tale  of  Three  Lions,  A.    Haggara, 
Thorns  and  Oraiige  Blossoms. 
Two  Thousand  Funny  Things. 
Twelve  Complete  Stories, 
Three    TTiousand   Things    Worth 

Knowing.  [Reading-. 

Two    Hundred    Recitations    ai>1 
Vice  "Versa.     Anstey, 
Witch's  Head,  The,    Haggard. 
Wedding  Ring,  The.    Ta Image. 
Wife's  Honor,  A.    Young. 
Woman '  s  Ven  geance ,  A .   Hoiro** 
Woman  Against  Woman-       *" 
Wedded  and  Parted. 
Wife  in  Name  Only. 
Wo^-sb's  Temptation,  A. 


FAVORITE    EDITION-Continned. 


No. 

126. 

127. 

128. 
130. 
131. 
133. 
i:58. 
134. 
135. 
136. 
137. 
138. 
139. 
140. 
141. 
143. 

144. 
145. 
146. 
147. 
148. 
149. 
150. 
151. 
152. 

153. 

154. 
155. 
156. 
157. 
158. 
159. 
160. 
161. 
162. 
163. 
164. 


No. 


Woman:    Her  Power  and  Privi- 

165. 

leges. 

166. 

Natural   Law    in    the    Spiritual 

167. 

World. 

168. 

David  Copperfield. 

169. 

Mona's  Choice. 

170. 

Cell  13. 

172. 

A  Life  Interest. 

174. 

For  His  Brother's  Sake. 

175. 

A  Woman's  Face. 

176. 

A  Young  Vagabond. 

177. 

Mr.  Meesou's  Will. 

178. 

The  Lamplighter. 

179. 

Uii  der-Currents. 

180. 

Miss  Bretherton. 

181. 

The  World  of  Cant. 

186. 

Doctor  Glennie's  Daughter. 

193. 

Tom    Brown's    School   Days  at 

196. 

Rugby. 

182. 

Grimm's  Fairy  Tales. 

184. 

Tour  of  the  World  in  80  Days. 

188. 

20,000  Leagues  Under  the  Sea. 

185. 

Gulliver's  Travels. 

183. 

Pilgrim's  Progress,  Illustrated. 

187. 

The  Swiss  Family  Robinson. 

1H9. 

Robioson  Crusoe. 

190. 

^sop's  Fables,  100  Illustrations. 

191. 

Hans  Andersen's  Fairy  Tales,  150 

192. 

Illustrations. 

194. 

The  Arabian  Nights'  Entertain- 

195. 

ments. 

197. 

Thrown  on  the  World. 

198. 

Two  Fair  Women. 

199. 

The  Shattered  Idol. 

200. 

The  Duke's  Secret. 

201. 

One  Hundred  Prize  Dinners. 

202. 

Adventures  of  Miss  Volney. 

204. 

A  Close  Call. 

206. 

A  Double  Love. 

207. 

Mystery  of  a  Hansom  CAb. 

208. 

Playing  with  Fire. 

209. 

Mr.  Perkins  of  New  J<icsey. 

210. 

Madame  Midas. 

A  Millionaire's  Folly. 

The  Trail  of  the  Barrow. 

Fifteen  Detective  Stories. 

Ivanhoe 

Robert  Elsmere. 

The  Story  of  an  African  Farm. 

From  Farm  Boy  to  Senator. 

Cleopatra. 

Child's  History  of  England. 

Last  Days  of  Pompeii. 

A  Crooked  Path. 

Thaddeus  of  Warsaw. 

From  the  Earth  to  the  Moon. 

One  False  Step. 

The  Council  of  Ten. 

A  Strange  Secret. 

Ivan  the  Serf. 

A  Life's  Remorse. 

Allan's  Wife. 

Beatrice. 

The  Master  of  Ballantrae. 

Topsy  Turvy. 

A  Hardy  Norseman. 

A  Babe  in  Bohemia. 

The  Unpardonable  Sin. 

The  Tents  of  Shem. 

Marked  for  a  Victim. 

Patience  Pettigrew's  Perplexities. 

Blind  Love. 

Izma. 

A  Missing  Husband. 

Hoyle's  Games. 

Stanley:  His Rehef  of  Erain Pasha, 

Donovan. 

We  Two. 

A  Knight  of  Faith. 

One  of  the  Forty. 

Shenandoah. 

The  Pleasures  of  Life. 

Black  Beauty. 

Col.  Quaritcii. 


/ 


RARE  BOOK 
COLLECTION 


THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINA 

AT 

CHAPEL  HILL 

Wilmer 
484 


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